glories and mediatorial offices of Christ, and the way of a sinner's justification and acceptance with God. It was a popular and useful defence of evangelical doctrines, and of ministerial zeal, and was applied to the auditory with pungent force.

His diary, during this year, authorizes some inferences besides that of his spirituality and devotion to his work. A few short extracts of each kind will form an appropriate conclusion to the chapter:

"July 17. Heard much, to-day, of the rage of opposers; found others much discouraged by it. Was driven by it to the throne of grace, and there found unusual enlargement in pleading for the effusion of the Spirit. Never felt more drawn out in prayer for this, and could not help hoping that he would espouse our cause. Was deeply affected with the sovereign goodness of God.

"Aug. O, what a privilege it would be to have strength to labor all the time for God!

Sept. 24, 25. Was called up at midnight by some mischievous person, and sent off to see a person said to be dying. Found it a serious joke to me, for I took cold, and was sick several days.

"Sept. 29. Had a most refreshing season, this morning, in prayer. Felt most intense hatred of sin, and desired to be free from its power.

"Oct. 5.

Have been abundantly convinced, to-day, that it is not a vain thing to call upon God. Was remarkably assisted in preparing for to-morrow. In the evening, was favored with an uncommonly precious season in prayer. O, how different does every thing appear, when God is present! He is indeed all in all to me.

"Oct. 8. Enjoyed a most delightful season in prayer. Had such strong confidence in God, from a view of his willingness to give, that I felt ready to ask and expect every thing in his power to bestow. Knew not how to stop, till I was utterly exhausted.

"Oct. 10. Had some different views of Christ and heaven from any I ever before enjoyed, so that I felt the fullest assurance of salvation, and wished to be saved, that I might praise and love God perfectly.

"Oct. 22. Was enabled to cast all my cares on the Lord, and felt lightened. Never did the Bible seem so sweet, never did the light of God's countenance seem so exquisitely precious as now; nor did I ever more need it.

"Oct. 24. In the course of the day, saw an Indian. Was instantly struck, and much affected with a sense of his wretched condition. Never had such feelings before. In the evening, had great freedom in praying for poor savages and others, who are destitute of the light of the gospel.

"Nov. 7. Felt a little revived. Set up a little prayer meeting in my family, for a revival, and had some liberty.

"Nov. 28. Had a most refreshing and delightful season in prayer this morning. Felt something of the life and power of religion through the day. In the evening, preached,. . . . and was uncommonly assisted, and the people appeared much affected. Felt much gratitude to God for his assistance, and much encouraged respecting a revival.”

CHAPTER XIII.

Forms of prayer-Thoughts on public prayer-His sincerity The importance of this quality to a minister's success.

"You would greatly oblige me by loaning me a copy of your prayer to-day," said a distinguished lady to Dr. Payson, as he was retiring from the house of worship on a memorable occasion. She was surprised on being told that it had vanished with the breath which gave it utterance. This lady was not an attendant on his ministry, but had come, at this time, with the expectation of seeing La Fayette in the assembly, and, in common with many others, was filled with admiration of the intercessory part of the exercises, as differing from all she had ever heard, in richness and appropriateness of matter, as well as in fervor of utterance. Few, it is believed, ever heard him, for the first time, even in the family or on the most common occasion, without experiencing kindred emotions. The wonder, too, was enhanced, rather than diminished, by every repetition of the exercise. To those whose devotions he led for twenty years, in the sanctuary, in the conference room, by the sick bed, at festivals, and funerals, every prayer seemed to have all the freshness of originality. His resources for this duty appeared to be absolutely inexhaustible. was something in his prayers powerful to arrest and fix attention-something which seized and absorbed the faculties of the soul, and separated it, for the time being, at least, from its connexions with "this present evil world." The full, deep, reverent, flexible, suppliant tones of his voice, as far removed from the cant of the fanatic as they were from the levity of the witling, contributed something to the effect of his public devotions.

There

The question has been asked, by more than one distinguished minister, since Dr. Payson's death, whether he left behind him any written forms of prayer. So far from this, it is believed he never wrote a prayer. There are, indeed, interspersed throughout his private writings and sermons, numerous ejaculations and supplicatory paragraphs; but nothing intended exclusively as a prayer. His "Confession and Form of Covenant," in a preceding chapter, bears the nearest resem

blance to a prayer, of any thing which has been discovered from his pen, and will give a better idea than any description, of the leading impression which his prayers produced on the hearers, namely, the infinite disparity which exists between. God and the creature, at the same time that it brings to view numerous particulars in which this contrast may be seen. "God is in heaven, and we upon earth," was the great truth which stood forth with distinguished prominence in his invocations, confessions, pleadings, intercessions, and ascriptions. "God is in this place," was a truth not less vividly impressed on the minds of his auditors when he poured out his soul in prayer. They saw, they felt, that he pleaded with a present God. His prayers conformed, with singular felicity, to his own definition of the exercise, which makes it "a kind of devout poetry, the whole subject matter of which is furnished by the heart; and the understanding is only allowed to shape and arrange the effusions of the heart in the manner best adapted to honor the Being to whom prayer is addressed, and to excite and direct the devotional feelings of his worshippers."

But a thousand forms, of his prayers even, could never teach another to pray like him. He neither found for himself, nor could he mark out for others, a "royal road" to the throne of grace; and the "gift of prayer," for which he was so eminent, was not attained without corresponding efforts on his 'part. It was by his daily retired practice, that he became so skilful and prevailing a pleader with his God. There can be no doubt on this point. His journal, through several successive years, records repeated seasons of prayer for almost every day, together with the state of his affections, and the exercise or want of those graces which constitute the "spirit of supplication." It requires much of a devotional spirit even to read these perpetually recurring descriptions of his 'wrestling in prayer,' of his 'near access to the mercy-seat,' as well as of those difficulties which sometimes barred his approach; for, to an undevout mind, they would present nothing but a wearisome, disgusting, endless monotony. When the inventive character of his mind is considered, its exquisite delight in every thing that was original, these records exhibit the most infallible evidence of his love for devotion. His continuing instant in prayer, be his circumstances what they might, is the most noticeable fact in his history, and points out the duty of all who would rival his eminency. There is no magic about it. "The arrow that would pierce the clouds must go from the nerved arm and the bent bow." But if prayer, to be successful, must be ardent, so must it be not fitful, but habitual.

If, however, he has not left a form, he has, happily, left some thoughts on public prayer, which will be of greater value, especially to ministers of the gospel; and, as in his practice he illustrated his own instructions, a stranger to him may obtain from them a better knowledge of his manner, than from any description of it by another hand.

"WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPAL EXCELLENCES WHICH SHOULD BE CULTIVATED, and the defects which SHOULD BE Avoided, BY MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR PUBLIC DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES?

"The excellence of any performance consists in its being adapted to answer the end for which it is designed. So far as it is not adapted to answer that end, it must be considered defective. The design of public prayer, considered as a part of ministerial duty, is to honor the Being to whom it is addressed, and to excite and direct the devotional feelings of his worshippers. These two objects, though distinct, are inseparably connected, and are to be attained by the same means; for it will ever be found, that that mode of performing the duty of public prayer, which is best adapted to promote the honor of God, is best calculated to excite and direct the devotional

feelings of the hearers. That our devotional performances may secure the attainment of these united objects, they must be the echo of a fervently pious heart, guided by a judicious and enlightened mind, to the voice of God, as uttered in his works and his word. An expression of the psalmist will illustrate my meaning:-'When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.' In a similar manner should our public addresses to God be the echo of his language to us. Our adorations and ascriptions of praise should thus respond to what he has revealed of his natural and moral perfections; our confessions, to the charges which he has preferred against us, and to the punishments with which he threatens us; our petitions and intercessions, to his commands, his promises, and the description he has given of our own wants, and those of our fellow-creatures; and our thanksgivings, to the favors which he has bestowed on ourselves, our countrymen, and our race. When our devotional performances thus echo back the voice of God, we cannot fail to promote both his glory, and the edification of our people. We then follow a guide which cannot mislead us; we express the very feelings which his language to us is designed and calculated to excite; we set our seal to the truth of his declarations, say