If therefore you would have your prayers heard and regarded by God, you must not only pronounce them with your mouths, but you must keep your hearts fixed upon the business you are engaged in. For Christ declares of those, who "draw nigh unto God with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, while their hearts are far from him, that such persons worship him in vain c."

You must be truly penitent for all your sins, and feel the danger to which you are exposed without God's gracious help; for it is 66 a broken and contrite heart that he will not despised;" as Christ showed when he forgave the sins of Mary Magdalene.

You must be heartily in earnest, when you pray for pardon of your past sins or for any future blessing; for it is "the effectual fervent prayer, that availeth

much e."

You must have a deep sense of your own unworthiness, and of the infinite per

C

Matt. xv. 8, 9.

& Psalm li. 17.

e

James v. 16.

fections of God; for he "resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble both of which he is represented to have done in the case of the haughty Pharisee and the poor publican.

You must have a lively faith in your kind Redeemer and Intercessor Jesus Christ, and throw yourself upon his merits to plead your acceptance with God: for "there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ;" and "those that ask in Christ's name God heareth 1."

You must rely on the Spirit of grace to give warmth and energy to your prayers; for "we are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."

In a word, you must be strictly serious and attentive to your prayers; and if you are so, you can hardly fail of possessing in

1 James iv. 6. 2 Cor. iii. 5.

• Acts iv. 12.

h John xvi. 16.

some degree that disposition of mind, without which so sinful a creature as man should never dare to approach a holy, an all-wise, and an all-powerful God.

2. And such inward feelings will produce a becoming respect and reverence in the outward behaviour. For there is such a close connection between our souls and bodies, that our hearts are scarcely ever really and truly interested by any thing, but that we show it by our actions.

Thus we continually read in the old Testament of persons, who humbled themselves before God, with sackcloth about their loins, and ashes strown upon their heads. Thus Peter, when he repented of having denied Christ, "went out and wept bitterly" when the poor publican prayed for God's mercy upon his sins, he "smote upon his breast':" the four and twenty elders, who are described as worshipping God in the Revelations, accompanied their words by "falling down before Him

* Matt. xxvi. 75.

'Luke xviii. 33.

that sat on the throne, and casting their crowns before the thronem." And our blessed Lord, who is in all things the best pattern for us to copy, whilst he was upon earth in our likeness, is repeatedly described as kneeling when he prayed.

Our Church well knows this; and she has accordingly given such directions for the behaviour of her members during the public service, as are admirably suited to the feelings, by which they are then supposed to be actuated.

She puts us in mind, that the duty of confessing our sins, and praying to God to pardon them, should be performed not only "with a pure heart," but "with an humble voice." She directs us to fall upon our knees when we ask God's mercy and blessings; and to stand up, when we give him thanks or praise his holy name.

Now, what is your behaviour with regard to these things? Do you join in the ser

vice when you are directed? For instance; do you repeat those parts of the liturgy, which you are required to repeat with the minister, especially the general Confession, and the Lord's Prayer? Do you read with him aloud the alternate verses of the Psalms, thus expressing your adoration, petitions and thanksgivings to God, in the language of inspiration? Do you utter the responses after the minister, especially those addresses to the throne of grace, wherein you are instructed to pray for God's mercy and for deliverance from evil in the Litany, and for grace to keep his commandments in the Communion Service? And do you give the sanction of your assent to every prayer which the minister offers in your behalf, by pronouncing earnestly Amen, at the conclusion of it? If you thus join in the public worship of the congregation, do you join in such a manner as to show that you know and feel and pay regard to what you say? Are you never sitting at your ease, when you should be kneeling? Are you never whispering and laughing withyour neighbour, when you should be listening with reverence to the