It is the custom of some, to hurry over a single sentence or two, and they have done before half the company are prepared to lift up a thought to heaven. And some have been just heard to bespeak a blessing on the church and the king, but seem to have forgot they were asking God to bless their food, or giving thanks for the food they had received. Others again, have given themselves a loose into a long prayer, and among a multitude of other petitions, have not had one that related to the table before them.

The general rules of prudence, together with a due observation of the custom of the place where we live, would correct all these disorders, and teach us that a few sentences suited to the occasion, spoken with an audible and proper voice, are sufficient for this purpose, especially if any strangers are present. If we are abroad in mixed company, many times it is best for each person to lift up a petition to God in secret for himself; yet, in a religious family, or where all the company are of a piece, and no other circumstance forbids it, I cannot disapprove of a pious soul sometimes breathing out a few more devout expressions than are just necessary to give thanks for the food we receive; nor is it improper to join any other present occurrence of Providence together with the table worship.

that

Here I would also beg leave to add this when a person is eating alone, I do not see any necessity of rising always from his seat, to recommend his food to the blessing of God, which may be done in any posture of body with a short ejaculation yet, when he eats in company, I am

of opinion, that the present custom of standing up, is more decent and honorable than of sitting down, just before we give thanks; which was too much practised in the former age.

Thus I have delivered my sentiments concerning the gestures proper for prayer, and I hope they will appear useful and proper to maintain the dignity of the worship, and to pay honor to God with our bodies as well as with our souls. As we must not make ourselves mere statues and lifeless engines of prayer: so neither must we, out of pretence of spirituality, neglect all decencies. Our forms of religion are not numerous nor gaudy, as the Jewish rites; nor theatrical gestures, or superstitious foppery, like the Papists. We have no need to be masters of ceremonies, in order to worship God aright, if we will but attend to the simplicity of manners which nature dictates, and the precepts and examples that the gospel confirms.

Remark. Though the gestures that belong to preaching are very different from those of prayer, yet most of the rules that are prescribed for the expression and the voice in prayer, may be usefully applied also to preaching; but this difference is to be observed, that, in the work of preaching, the same restraints are not always necessary, and especially in applying truth warmly to the conscience; for then we speak to men in the name and authority of God, and we may indulge a greater freedom and brightness of language, more lively emotions, and bolder efforts of zeal and outward fervor but in prayer, where, in the name of sinful creatures, we ad

dress the great and holy God, every thing that belongs to us must be composed to an appearance of humility.

SECTION VIII.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS ABOUT THE GIFT OF

PRAYER.

Thus have I finished what I designed upon the Gift of Prayer, with regard to the matter, the method, the expression, the voice, and the gesture. I shall conclude this chapter with these five general directions.

I. Keep the middle way, between a nice and laborious attendance to all the rules I have given, and a careless neglect of them. As every rule seems to carry its own reason with it, so it is proper that there should be some regard had to it, when occasions for the practice occur. For I have endeavored to say nothing on this subject, but what might some way or other, be useful towards the attainment of an agreeable gift of prayer, and the decent exercise of that gift. The multiplicity of our wants, the unfaithfulness of our memories, the dulness and slowness of our apprehensions, the common wanderings of our thoughts, and the coldness of our affections, will require our best care for the remedy of them.

Yet, on the other hand, I would not have you confine yourselves too precisely to all these forms, in matter, method, expression, voice and gesture,

upon every occasion, lest you feel yourselves thereby under some restraint, and prevent your souls of that divine liberty, with which, upon special occasions, the Spirit of God blesses his own people in the performance of this duty. When the heart is full of good matter, the tongue will sometimes be "as the pen of a ready writer.” Ps. lxv. 1. Such a fixedness and fulness of thought, such a fervor of pious affections, will sometimes produce so glorious a fluency and variety of pertinent and moving expressions, and all in so just a method, as makes it appear that the man is carried beyond himself, and would be straitened and cramped by a careful attendance to rules.

See, then, that the graces of prayer are at work in your souls with power; let this be your first and highest care; and by a sweet influence this will lead you to a natural and easy performance of this duty, according to most of the particular rules I have given, even without a nice and exact attendance to them. So, without attendance to the rules of art, a man may sometimes, in a very musical humor, strike out some inimitable graces and flourishes, and charm all that hear him.

II. Among ministers, and among your fellowchristians, observe those that have the most edifying gifts; and, with regard to the matter, method, expression, voice, and gesture, endeavor to imitate them who are more universally approved of, and the exercise of whose talents is most abundantly blessed, to excite and maintain the devotion of all their fellow-worshippers. And at the same time, also, take notice of all the irregular

ities and indecencies that any persons are guilty of in this worship, in order to avoid them when you pray.

III. Use all proper means to obtain a manly presence of mind, and holy courage in religious performances. Though excess of bashfulness be a natural infirmity; yet, if indulged in such affairs, it may become very culpable. There have been many useful gifts buried in silence, through a sinful bashfulness in the person endowed with them. And generally all persons, when they first begin to pray in public, feel something of this weakness, for want of a due presence of mind: and it hath had different effects. Some persons have lost that due calmness and temper which should govern their expressions; and have been driven on to the end of their prayer like a schoolboy hurrying his lesson over, or a larum set a running, that could not stop till it was quite down. Others have hesitated at every sentence, and, it may be, felt a stop in their speech, that they could not utter any more. Others again, whose minds have been well prepared and furnished, have lost their own scheme of thoughts and made poor work at first, through mere bash fulness.

I grant that courage, and a degree of assurance, are natural talents; but they may also, in a great measure, be acquired by the use of proper means. I will here mention a few of them.

1. Get above the shame of being religious, that you may be dead to the reproaches of a wicked world, and despise the jests and scandal that are cast upon strict godliness.