affection; the service and favour of God his chosen pursuit; and the final enjoyment of God in heaven, at once the spring and end of his desires; and then look upon the world, and upon the circumstances of human life, and say, what is there, within or about him, which he may not make, and which will not be, subservient to his high and great design? Say if, in the daily exercises of his affections and dispositions, he does not fulfil the command, to pray without ceasing?

1. With the eye, and with the affections of such a man, look upon the world. What do you see? What, that is not the work of God? Indulge and cherish the sentiment, that he is in all, and over all; and what is the language of your heart? Does winter hold his triumphant reign, freezing the air, binding in its chains the springs and rivers, spreading wide its snows, staying the current of vegetable life, and compelling all that breathe to seek for shelter from its influence? 'Summer and winter, fire and hail, snow and vapours, and stormy winds, fulfil Thy word! Or, do you see the animals at the stream quenching their thirst, or enjoying the abundant provision which is made for their support? They are thy care, O God, and their sustenance is from thy liberal hand.' Does the sun rise to enlighten, and to warm the earth,-to give a season for labour, to gladden all that live by his cheerful influences, and to give a new spring to the vegetable creation? Do the clouds refresh the ground with their shade, and enrich it with their showers? Do the moon and stars give a glory to the night, even greater than we see in the bright light of day? Does the return of darkness bring with it a time of rest, not less necessary than food for ourselves, and for all the creatures about us? "Thine, Father, are the darkness and the light, the sun and the stars, the clouds and the rain.' Yes, every drop in the vast ocean, every particle of this globe on which we live, every creature and every thing we behold, is God's; for he made them, and by him they are every moment preserved.-Do you see evidences of wisdom in the laws and courses of nature ? Thine is the work, O infinitely wise and eternal mind!' Are you astonished at the displays of power which you behold? Thy power, O God, like thy wisdom, is infinite.' Do you every where behold a parental providence? It is thy goodness, O my Father; and I will bless thee for thy bounty to them that cannot thank thee !'-Thus does every thing around us, the great and the minute, the wild and the cultivated, the delightful and the terrific, preach to us of God, and touch a string in the pious heart, which vibrates devotion. God is so associated with all these objects in the mind of a pious man, that where

ever he may be, and whatever his employment, the sight of them recalls the thought of God; and with the thought, a correspondent emotion and affection. This emotion and this affection is a prayer; and to him who sees the heart, far more acceptable, than the most pompous and costly offering, in which any desire or feeling is withholden from the authority of his law.

And, 2dly, with a heart disposed to love, to fear, to trust, and to serve God, observe the objects in which he is more immediately blessing yourself, and those with whom he has connected you, and consider the ordinary circumstances of every day; and say if they are not suited, in such a heart, to excite those frequent, secret ejaculations, which at once illustrate the nature of prayer, and shew the practicability of making it habitual.

What are these objects and circumstances? You are looking upon a field. Whose is it? Your neighbour's? Thank God that he has it. Or is it your own? Thank God who has given it to you. Do you see the growing corn, or are you gathering the ripened harvest, which is to give you bread, or to support the families of others? Thank him who produced, and who alone could mature it. Have you a comfortable habitation? When you enter it, and when you think of it, acknowledge him from whose goodness you received it. Do you reflect with pleasure on your abundance? Raise your heart to the bounteous giver. Have you and your family health? Rejoice in it as the gift of God. Do you retain the soundness of your faculties? What gratitude do you owe for their preservation! Are you indulged with the intercourse of friendship and love? Thank him who gave you friends, and enables you to enjoy them. Do you look with mingled delight and solicitude upon your children? Acknowledge the goodness of God; and look up for his guidance and blessing, that you may be enabled to rear them to his glory. Can you pursue your daily labours? Thank the God of your strength. Are you feeble, or suffering under any disease? Be strong in faith, and endure as seeing him who is invisible. Have you escaped any danger? Bless your Preserver. Has any one whom you love been rescued from peril? Acknowledge the hand that saved him. Are you able to minister to the necessities of another? Praise him who has given you the means, and the disposition. Do you see the deaf, the blind, the lame, the diseased, and think with joy that you are in health, and can see, and hear, and move where you will, without pain? Let your jov be that of gratitude; and with your sympathies for those who suffer, let your

thanksgivings for yourself ascend to heaven. Do you enjoy rest after fatigue? Consider who refreshes you, and renews your strength. Have your hours passed in tranquil pleasure? Think how they might have passed, and thank God for this season of serenity and peace. Are you angry with another? Say to God, Forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive others.' Are you oppressed with the cares of your family, or of your business? Remember that you are to give accouut to God, and ask if they are ordered according to his will. Are you tempt ed to indulge any bad passion, or vicious appetite? Feel that the eye of God is upon you, and seek for his succour and deliverance. Are you doubting concerning any dispositions or conduct? Seek of God for grace to judge yourself, as you will be judged. Have you done to another as you would not that he should have done to you? Look up to God while you are considering how you may make amends for the injury. Are you sensible of having wasted your time, or abused any talent; of having spoken rashly, or acted unkindly? Ask God to guard you in future temptations. Are you suffering any affliction? Look up for consolation. Would you read the scriptures? Reflect that they are from God, and contain the words of eternal life. Do you remember what you have read? Ask for grace to practice it. Do you feel a good disposition? Request of God to strengthen it. Have you overcome temptation? Thank him who made you victorious. Do you desire to subdue any evil propensity, or to feel more strongly the influence of any principle of piety or virtue? Seek the assistance promised to those who ask for it. Have you been overcome by any appetite or passion? with your resolution of amendment, say, May God prosper me!'-What, in fine, is the object, and what the circumstance, which may not, and will not exercise the devotion of a heart, sincerely and strongly inclined to piety? In moments of fear and of security, of anticipation and of the accomplishnient of desire, of joy and of sorrow, of adversity and prosperity, of sickness and of health, of solitude and of social pleasure, of business and of relaxation, the thoughts and affections may in a moment ascent to God, and in a moment may offer a prayer. By thus habitually looking to God,-acknowledging him in all circumstances and events, committing ourselves to him, and seeking his approbation in all our dispositions, and indulgencies, and pursuits, we are, as far as possible, to make every action an act of devotion. This habit of ejaculatory prayer is not obtained, till great progress is made in the christian life; for it cannot be maintained in sincerity, till God has become the first object in our New Series-vol. II.

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affections, and it is the first desire of our hearts to live in obe. dience to his commands. But let the disposition to it be indulged, and circumstances not to be enumerated will occur every day, and perhaps every hour, to exercise and to confirm it; to bear on the soul towards perfection, and to advance its preparation for the nearer vision, and eternal enjoyment of God.

Every good man has stated seasons for prayer. But the stated prayers of a good man are neither feeble, nor momentary in their influence. He retires from them, remembering the sentiments he has expressed to God; the acknowledgments he has made to him; the petitions he has offered, and the engagements into which he has entered. And can he carry this remembrance into his thoughts and plans, his social intercourse, his business and pleasures, without frequently indulging ejacu latory sentiments, acknowledgments, and petitions? Will they not be the natural,-I may say, the irresistible-language of his heart? As well may the man love his friend, and not think of him; or be with him, and not speak to him; as the good man may love God, and feel his presence, and not address his thoughts to him. As well may a man of the world forget his possessions, and his favourite gratifications, as a pious man that treasure and happiness, which he hopes for, and believes he shall obtain, in heaven. And can he think of this treasure, and cherish these hopes, and feel no aspirations of his heart towards God, their infinitely bounteous author and giver? No; we do not pray sincerely, if we feel the spirit of prayer only while we are using its language. The prayers of a truly good man exalt his heart to the closest union with the holy Being whom he worships; and it is one great object of his prayers, that in all the circumstances and conduct of life, he may glorify God, by a temper, affections, will and conduct, conformed to his commands. Will he then go from this service to forget God; to admire his works, without remembering their Author; to enjoy without gratitude; to be tempted, without remembering him from whom he has sought for succour; to be tried, without thinking of him whom he has acknowledged as his support; "to sin, and feel no shame arrow; and even seek his happiness in indulgencies, which a moment's reflection must convince him, would incur the displeasure of God? No. Prayer is but a means for the advancement of religion and virtue in our dispositions, conver sations, and lives; and if this be not its effect, it avails us nothing.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE.

SIR, It has been advised-I believe by Doddridge-that every one should select for himself, every morning, a verse, or short sentence from the Bible, which he may carry in his thoughts through the day; and apply for his self-government and religious improvement, in the various circumstances in which it may be employed, either for excitement, or restraint. To those who are accustomed to begin every day with reading a portion of the scriptures, it will be obvious, how very easy it must be to make this selection; and it will demand but the thought of a moment to feel, if the text is judiciously chosen, actually retained in the memory, and applied with any fidelity, that this practice must greatly conduce to the formation and establishment of a christian temper, affections and habits. By faithfully persevering in this practice through a year, three hundred and sixty-five texts will have obtained, not only our distinct attention to their import, but our personal application. And as perpetual dropping wears away stones, it would seem that this must be a sure means of wearing away, at least in part, any prevailing evil dispositions and propensities within us. As the amount of piety and virtue in our lives is formed of the distinct acts of duty to God and to our fellow creatures, to which we are every day and every hour called by the circumstances in which the providence of God places us, this daily and direct application to our own hearts and conduct, of some distinct principle or duty of his word, must daily enrich us more with the treasures of true glory and virtue; daily bring us to an increased preparation for the eternal service and enjoyment of God. It will indeed require vigilance and resolution, as well as prayer, to secure our fidelity, in this application to ourselves of the principles and duties of religion. But how imperious are our obligations to this watchfulness, and care, and perseverance, and prayer, when we consider that, by this word which God has given us, we shall each be judged in the last day!

I would call the attention of the readers of the Christian Disciple to this subject. It will require but a very short time, in the morning to select a text of scripture for the day. And I would propose, in making this selection,

1. That it should be the first work of every morning. 2. That the text be directly of a practical kind.

3. That it should be selected with a view to the establishment in the heart of some sentiment or principle, which we may think or know to be particularly important to the exigencies of our own character.