family, and of the closet, be directed to this extensively beneficial and important end. Such prayers, as are made for persons in particular circumstances, and upon peculiar occafions, are not to be fuppofed to take in fo large a compaffe; but it ought to be remembered, that their chief view fhould be to influence to a right temper and behavior. For that seems to be the most likely method to receive benefit, and to have their particular requefts granted, as far as they are rational, wise, and proper. II. As the principal thing in prayer is its practical tendency, By this we ought to regulate the language we make ufe of, as well "as the thoughts and the method." Proteftants clearly fee the juftneffe of this obfervation, when ingaged in controversy with the church of Rome. For, how abfurd is it to pray in an unknown tongue? But it has not been always attended to, that the fame reafoning holds good, with refpect to every phrafe and expreffion, which has no fixed, or proper, meaning. For it is not enough that God underftands what we would expreffe; men must also understand, or else they cannot join in the prayer; nor can it have the right influence upon their temper, or conduct. I should be unwilling to criticife, with rigor and feverity, upon the public forms used by fome; or upon the public prayers of others, who use no ftated forms. But, whoever can didly didly confiders this matter, will find that the language of public prayers is not yet brought to its highest state of perfection; and I fuppose the private devotions of most chriftians do not excel thofe of the public. The hiftorical books of fcripture, in general, are remarkable for a fimplicity of diction, as well of fentiments; but the poetical, and fome of the prophetic, books do, more efpecially, abound with noble phrafes and lofty figures, and have numberleffe instances both of the tender and pathetic, the magnificent and the fublime. No ftile, therefore, can be more proper, in our addreffes to heaven, than that of facred writ; provided it be made ufe of, with understanding. But, how often has a regard to fcripturelanguage led men, either to improper expreffions, or mistaken fentiments? Dark and difficult paffages have fometimes obtained the præference to those that are plane and eafy; and fuch obfcure texts have had a meaning put upon them, wholly foreign to their defign: And that meaning, which phansy first ftamped upon them, cuftom has fo fixed, that the original fenfe of the words has been rejected, or never looked after. Allufions are undoubtedly fine, when made with judgment, and confidered only as allufions; but, in proceffe of time, how often has the allufive fenfe excluded the real and true true meaning? And the number of mistaken paffages of fcripture been thereby increased? But the most fruitful fource of mistakes, of this kind, hath been applying texts of fcripture to our own cafe, which the facred penmen made ufe of, in fpeaking of fome peculiar cafes, that were wholly different from ours. Even their language concerning infpiration and miracles hath been commonly applied to chriftians, in general, tho' the age of inspiration and miracles hath been past and over long ago. I acknowlege that perfons, who have been guilty of crying fins, and abominable vices, may (with great propriety) adapt many of the expreffions, which, in the fcriptures, are made use of, upon like occafions. But, (if the language, which was peculiar to inspired worship and miraculous operations, had not been fo frequently used, concerning chriftians in common) -one might juftly have wondered, why thofe, who have been free from fcandalous vices, fhould nevertheleffe choose to confeffe their fins, in the phrases, which, in fcripture, are made ufe of, by such persons as had been guilty of murther and adultery; and, by the nation of Ifrael, after they had fallen into the abominations of idolatry, and the other shocking vices of fome of their moft abandoned neighbors! Hath not this abuse of fcripture-language led men to confeffe fins, which they were never never guilty of? or to load their own crimes with aggravations, which did not belong to them? Has it not induced men to petition for mercies, which they have no reason to expect? and to bleffe God for favors, which they have never received? Doth it not evidently lead men to misinterpret the holy fcriptures? and to apply texts to themselves, or to their neighbors, which were peculiar to perfons in very different circumftances? But I am unwilling to procede; because I choose not to say, how much error and fuperftition have been occafioned this way; and how excedingly chriftianity has been hereby perverted from its origi'nal intention. However; You will obferve, that it is only the abufe of fcripture-language, which I am all along condemning. For, when allufions are introduced fparingly and with dif cretion; when perfons, and manners, and circumstances are duely confidered, and texts of fcripture made ufe of, according to their original meaning; and, in that fenfe, are fairly and properly applicable to our cafe; I think the facred dialect is fo far eligible, that there is none like it. I would, therefore, propofe that, in matters of difpute and difficulty, as well as in all points that are of a general nature, a depar ture from fcripture-language, in our public worship, fhould be induftriously avoided: Not only, as that is the language, in which all |