SERMON LV.

GOD THE SUPREME DISPOSER OF HUMAN

AFFAIRS.

PSALM XXXI. 15.

My times are in thy hand.

AND how could they be in a better hand?

God's hand is a wise hand, a strong hand, a good hand, a steady hand. All his saints are in his hand, and none shall be able to pluck them out. All their concerns are in his hand, and he will manage them to the best advantage, both in time. and to eternity. So their times are in his hand. Whatever might be David's particular view in this passage, the words themselves are capable of a general application, and may lead to the two following inquiries: What those times are which are in God's hand, and in what respects they are so. I. What those times are to which the words of my text may be applied.

1. The time of our birth, or entrance into life. This was absolutely appointed and ordained by the God of heaven. He fixes the time of our nativity, as well as the bounds of our habitation. Thus the birth of Josiah was foretold three hundred and sixty-five years before it happened; and the incarnation of the Son of God is said to be in the fulness of time; that is, the time appointed from all eternity, and foretold by the prophets of the Jewish church. As there is nothing more casual and accidental in itself than when this or the other man shall be born into the world, so there is

nothing more certain with respect to God; and we who live in the present day are under everlasting obligations to bless his holy name that our lot is cast in a time of gospel light and liberty, when we enjoy privileges unknown to our ancestors; and those words may with propriety be applied to us, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear; for verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Solomon tells us, there is "a time to be born;" that is, a certain time appointed by God, which no human power can prevent or alter. It is therefore a foolish thing to wish we had been born at another time, and a wicked thing to wish we had never been born at all; for as it was not at our option when we should be born, so it was not in our own power whether we should be born or not. Thus Job acted a criminal part when he cursed the day of his birth; and in like manner Jeremiah forgot himself, when he said, "Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed."

2. The time of our new birth or conversion unto God. Not only this important change itself, but all the means conducing, and circumstances relative to it, are absolutely fixed, and wisely ordered by God. If we are made willing, it is in the day of his power. As he is Lord of his own grace, so also of the time when to dispense it. He opens the womb of conversion as well as the womb of nature. Thus, though the apostle Paul was born out of due time in his own apprehension, yet he was born at the precise time with respect to the appointment of God. Some are called into the vineyard at the third, others at the sixth, others at the ninth, and others again at the eleventh hour. Some are sanctified from the womb, like Jeremiah the prophet, and John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ; others are wrought upon in the decline of life, as Abraham,

notions of the Deity: "I will give them an heart to know me." And again, "Thou shalt know the Lord."

(2.) Of the true nature of prayer. Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God: God is the object of prayer, and desire is the essence of it. Prayer is the very breath of the new-born soul. There is nothing so glorifies a gracious

God, or eases a burdened conscience, as prayer. Spiritual poverty lays the foundation for it, and spiritual enrichment is the delightful consequence of it. It is the making known our requests unto God, or, as Job expresses it, “making supplication to our Judge;" so that self-knowledge is a necessary prerequisite to the serious, affectionate, and constant discharge of this duty. None will seek discoveries of pardoning grace till they are burdened with the guilt of sin. Those only that see themselves estranged from God, and wandering in the by-paths of sin and folly, will say with David, "Seek thy servant;" and it is not till the billows of Divine wrath are ready to overwhelm us, that we shall cry out with the disciples, "Lord, save, or we perish." Prayer, as I intimated before, is the lifting up of the soul to God: "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." So that there may be more of prayer in a deep-fetched sigh, or broken-hearted groan, than in the most pompous oration, or the most eloquent harangue. In a word, it is a wrestling or striving with God; a stirring up ourselves to take hold of him. When rightly performed, it is a holy agony or conflict, which denotes labour and fervency; and here the Almighty Creator is the vanquished party, and the weak creature more than a conqueror. "He had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him."

(3.) Of the subject-matter of prayer,—what it will be proper for us to ask, and what it will be likely for God to bestow. "This is our confidence, that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us." Zebedee's sons asked they knew not what, and met with a repulse; they went upon a wrong errand, and therefore lost their labour. It is a common

complaint amongst the children of God, that they know not how to order their speech before him, by reason of darkness; they should therefore pray that they might pray; say with the disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray,"-to pray pertinently, pathetically, argumentatively; to choose out acceptable words, such as may best convey our ideas, and be most expressive of the wants and desires of our souls, neither vulgar nor ostentatious. "Let the words of my mouth," says David, "and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

We should also seek to understand the various parts of prayer, such as an invocation of the Divine Majesty, an humble confession of our sins, an application for personal blessings, mingled with intercessions for others, and a thankful acknowledgment of God's inestimable mercies, which will be an antidote against disorder and confusion, and prevent those tautologies and vain repetitions which Christ condemned in the Scribes and Pharisees, and taught his disciples to avoid in that short but excellent summary of prayer which he delivered to them.

(4.) Of the proper ends of prayer. With respect to these, the generality of mankind are very much mistaken. Some think by their prayers to appease the wrath of God, and make an atonement for their sins; and therefore when their consciences are burdened with guilt, pour out a prayer, and having thereby obtained ease, return to their former course of sinning again. Prayer is to them what Christ is to the true believers. Others, ignorant of the omniscience and immutability of the Divine Being, or at least, not having their minds suitably impressed with those attributes of Deity, either suppose, that by their prayers they may inform God of some things to which he was a stranger before, or that they may alter his purpose, change the course of his proceedings, work upon his compassions, and by dint of importunity, weary him to a compliance with their

of one mind, and there is none can turn him. He knows our thoughts before we express them in words; and there are such manifold defects in our best duties, that instead of moving his pity, they might excite his abhorrence. What, then, are the ends of prayer? To glorify God; to calm and quiet the troubled mind; to prepare us for the reception of mercies, and enhance their value when received. In a word, prayer is an incumbent duty. "For all these things," says he who will prescribe, and not be prescribed to, "will I be inquired of by the house of Israel." And therefore, whether we ever obtain what we ask or no, whilst we are praying, we are performing our duty.

(5.) In order to the cheerful and constant discharge of the duty of prayer, it is necessary that we understand the powerful motives and blessed encouragements thereto with which we are furnished in the divine word. It is there expressly

and repeatedly commanded; we have many gracious promises of assistance and acceptance; the most excellent examples are set before us; those that now sing in heaven prayed upon earth. We have also many remarkable instances of the prevalency of prayer, and by some of them are instructed in this pleasing truth, that the blessing sought may, for wise ends and purposes, be withheld, and yet the prayer itself not be in vain. The effects of prayer may remain when we are gone; and it will not be wholly fruitless, though our expectations may be frustrated for a time; for "those that sow in tears shall reap in joy," and "he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

III. What is implied in the resolution here formed--“ I will pray with the spirit, and with the understanding also." This I design as a practical improvement of the whole: attend then, my dear friends, seriously attend, to what I now say. This does not imply, that when you cannot pray as you would, that is, in the manner here described, you will not pray at all; no, if you cannot pray with the spirit and understanding, you will pray for them. Neither does