relates, proceeding on a commission of this kind to Damascus, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the church; and had already approached nigh unto the city, when he was suddenly and miraculously arrested in his career of guilt, and converted from a furious persecutor into a firm believer, and a most zealous preacher and defender of the very faith which he had set out to destroy. The Lord Jesus himself condescended to meet him in the way, and, by a voice from heaven, to convict him of his dreadful mistake. Overwhelmed with astonishment and horror at this conviction, being led into the city, he continued three days humbling himself for his great wickedness, fasting, and praying.

At the expiration of that term, an eminent disciple in Damascus was sent, as related in the text, to instruct and comfort him. By a vision the Lord directed Ananias into what street to go, and at whose house to inquire for a person called "Saul of Tarsus," adding as a reason for his mission, and as what should remove all scruples from his mind, "for behold, he prayeth!" This is evidently mentioned as an extraordinary occurrence worthy of particular remark, that such a character as Saul should be engaged in prayer, that he, who had so lately breathed nothing but threatenings and slaughter, should now breathe nothing but prayer and the spirit of devotion. But had Saul never prayed before? In times past he had been accustomed to do that which he considered as praying. For he had

lived a Pharisee after the strictest sect, and the Pharisees abounded in prayer. They prayed not only in the synagogues, but in the markets and in the corners of the streets, and were accustomed to make long prayers. After their manner, Saul had undoubtedly been in the habit of praying; and like them, he probably set a high value on his prayers. They were all, however, performed amiss, and were nothing in God's account. The observation upon him, "behold, he prayeth," implies that, till the present juncture, he had never prayed in an acceptable manner. Heretofore he had but said his prayers; what he now did was really praying, and had in it all the qualifications of devotion acceptable to God.

Such prayer is the exercise of the best affections of our nature towards their highest and infinitely most worthy object. Thrown as we are on the stage of life, empty, impotent, dependent beings; our feelings prompt us to solicit the assistance of that great Being, who has seen fit to give us existence. Our thoughts are withdrawn from the creatures, and fixed upon the Creator. Our spirit is conscious of its near approach to the great Father of spirits, and, under a lively sense of his presence, greatness, and goodness, recognizes and adores his matchless perfections and glorious character; gratefully acknowledges its obligations to him for life, with all its attendant blessings and comforts; confesses and laments its own imperfection and unwor

thiness, fervently imploring pardon for whatever has been amiss in time past, and grace to amend for the future. Convinced of its own utter insufficiency to obtain or secure its own enjoyment-feeling its entire and absolute dependence upon the great Author of all created existence, it humbly expresses before him its desires for such blessings as may be suitable to its circumstances, and consistent with the divine wisdom to bestow. It refers and submits, however, all its requests to be granted or denied according to his good pleasure, still hoping in God and rejoicing in his unlimited power and goodness, as confident that he will ultimately do more than the petitioner can ask or think. The tendency of such exercises to purify the heart, to control the passions, to compose and tranquillize the mind, to give a serene dignity and elevation to its views and hopes, and cause it to rest in God as its chief and supreme good, cannot be questioned. It produces a frame of mind and constitutes a general temper, in the highest degree fitted for happiness and self-enjoyment under all circumstances. The spirit of prayer is a spirit of true piety, of humility, of gratitude, of resignation, and of hope in God. Of course, it may be expected to produce an inward peace, passing the understanding of those by whom it has never been experienced.

In the following discourse, we design to inquire into the nature of acceptable prayer,—a subject which will not be thought uninteresting,

when it is considered, that we ourselves, like Saul and the Pharisees of old, are liable to self-deception, and to think that we pray, when in the true import of the duty, we do not. The things implied in acceptable prayer, may be summarily comprized in this definition, namely, Prayer is the expression of the desires of a suppliant and grateful heart to God, in the name of Christ, for things agreeable to his will. In the illustration of this, it may be observed,

First, That prayer is the expression of the desires of the heart. This ought to be deeply fixed in our minds. Proper and suitable words are to be used, but, with respect to the Searcher of hearts, they are wholly insignificant, when not accompanied with correspondent desires. The best composed forms of devotion, when repeated with no fixed attention to their meaning, are but a presumptuous. trifling with the Almighty. We think of prayers in an unknown tongue as a kind of solemn mockery. But though we should understand the meaning of our words when we pretend to pray, yet, if the meaning of our hearts be different, our prayers are nothing but a pretence. They are so far from being a reasonable and acceptable service, that they are in reality an offence to God. How often and strongly has he expressed his displeasure at those who draw nigh to him with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, whilst their hearts are far from him!

If we be not on our guard and watchful over the workings of our hearts, we may be greatly de

ceived with respect to the nature of our devotions. Reason and conscience may teach us what things are proper and worthy to be desired; but we may mistake these dictates of conscience for desires. Under this delusion we may pray for things which we know ought to be desired, though no such desire has place in our hearts. Our reason may be convinced that the things contained in that form of prayer taught us by our Saviour, ought to be desired. Under this conviction we may repeat the form, and pray, that God's "name may be hallowed," while at the same time no reverence and adoration may have place in our hearts. We may pray that his "kingdom may come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven;" and at the same instant, the most predominant desire of our hearts may be in opposition to the precepts of his law and the disposals of his providence. We may pray that he would keep us from temptation, while in our hearts we may be forming the purpose of knowingly going into the way of temptation.

The covetous and worldly may pray against the love of riches; the proud and ambitious may pray for humility; and the openly vicious for the reformation of their lives; while the real desires of each of these characters may be in direct opposition to the language of their lips. How depraved and sinful must those men be, who can thus venture to prevaricate in their addresses to the God of truth! It is possible, however, that, in many instances, they