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forth labourers into his harvest.' Eph. vi. 18, 19. ' with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit....for all saints, and for me, that,' &c.-. Col. iv. 3. withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.' For all magistrates: especially with a view to the peace of the church. Psal. lxxii. 1. give the king thy judgments-.' Jer. xxix. 7. seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace.' 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. 'for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.' Even for our enemies. Matt. v. 44. 'pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.' Luke xxiii. 34. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Acts vii, 60. 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' Much more for the brethren. Rom. i. 8-10. 'without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers-.' If however there be any whom we know certainly to be past remedy, we are not to pray for them. Jer. vii. 16. 'pray not thou for this people-.' See also xiv. 11, 12. John xvii. 9. I pray not for the world.' John v. 16. there is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it.'

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We are even commanded to call down curses publicly on the enemies of God and the church; as also on false brethren, and on such as are guilty of any grievous offence against God, or even against ourselves. The same may be lawfully done in private prayer, after the example of some of the holiest of men. Gen. ix. 25. 'cursed be Canaan,' Deut. xxvii.

13-26. curse.

'these shall stand upon mount Ebal to Judges Judges v. 23. v. 23. 'curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Jehovah.' Psal. v. 10. 'destroy thou them, O God.' cix. 6, &c. 'set thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand.' cxl. 10. let burning coals fall upon them.' Similar imprecations occur in many other Psalms. 2 Kings ii. 24.he cursed them in the name of Jehovah.' Jer. xviii. 19, &c. ... 'deliver up their children to the famine.... for they have digged a pit to take me—.' Neh. iv. 4, &c. 'give them for a prey in the land of captivity.' vi. 14. think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works.' xiii. 25. 'I contended with them, and cursed them.' Acts viii. 20. 'thy money perish with thee.' Gal. v. 12. 'I would they were even cut off that trouble you.' 2 Tim. iv. 14. 'the Lord reward him according to his works.'

It is expressly promised that supplications offered in a spirit of faith and obedience shall be heard. Psal. cxlv. 13. Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.' Isai. lix. 1, 2. neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but... your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.' lxv. 24. 'it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.' Dan. ix. 20, &c. 'whiles I was speaking and praying. even the man Gabriel.... touched me, &c.-.' x. 12. "from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand... thy words were heard.' John ix. 31. 'if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.'

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Hence our knowledge of God's will, or of his providence in the government of the world, ought not to render us less earnest in deprecating evil and desiring good, but the contrary. Exod. xxxii. 10. 'now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them, and I will make of thee a great nation: and Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said-.' 1 Chron. xvii. 25, 26. thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house; therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.' John xvii. 1. Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son.' v. 5. O Father, glorify thou me.'

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It frequently happens, however, that believers are not heard in all that they ask for themselves or others; namely, when they seek what is contrary to their own good, or to the glory of God. Deut. iii. 25, 26. 'I pray thee, let me go over and see... but Jehovah said unto me, Let it suffice thee, speak no more unto me of this matter.' 1 Sam. xv. 11. 'it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto Jehovah all night.' 2 Sam. xii. 16-18. David besought God for the child-' 1 Kings xix. 4. he requested for himself that he might die.' Ezek. xiv. 14. though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it,' &c.-. Matt. xx. 22. 'ye know not what ye ask.' 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9. for this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee.'

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The prayers even of unbelievers sometimes prevail with God, to the obtaining of bodily comforts or worldly advantages; for he is kind to all, and 'maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.' Matt.

v. 45. Hence he occasionally grants the requests even of devils. Job i. 11, 12. put forth thy hand now... and Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power.' See also ii. 5, 6. Matt. viii. 31, 32. the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine; and he said unto them, Go.' See also Mark v. 10-13.

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Sometimes he complies with our prayers in anger; as when the Israelites asked flesh, Num. xi. 18, &c. 'ye shall eat flesh, for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying,' &c. ... ye shall eat... until it come out at your nostrils.' See also Psal. lxxviii. 30. So likewise when they asked a king, Hos. xiii. 11.*

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Among errors under the head of prayer may be classed rash imprecations, whereby we invoke God or the devil to destroy any particular person or thing: Rom. xii. 14. bless and curse not;' an intemperance to which even the pious are occasionally liable; Job iii. 2, 3. let the day perish wherein I was born-.' Jer. xx. 14. cursed be the day wherein I was born.' Undeserved curses, however, are of no force, and therefore not to be dreaded. Gen. xii. 3. I will curse him that curseth thee.' Numb. xxiii. 8. curse whom God hath not cursed ? Prov. xxvi. 2. as the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.' Psal. cix. 28. 'let them curse, but bless thou.'

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Prayer is assisted by fasting and vows. Matt. ix. 15. 'the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.'

* 'If God afterward gave or permitted this insurrection of episcopacy, it is to be feared he did it in his wrath, as he gave the Israelites a king.' Reason of Church Government urged against Prelaty. Prose Works, I. 101.

A religious fast is that whereby a man abstains, not so much from eating and drinking, as from sin, that he may be enabled to devote himself more closely to prayer, for the obtaining some good, or deprecating some evil. Isai. lviii. 5, 6. is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day unto Jehovah? is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Joel ii. 12, 13. turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart, and not your garments-.' Jonah iii. 6—9. ‘word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him.... saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock taste anything... but let them cry mightily unto God; yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.' Zech. vii. 5. when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto me?'

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Religious fasts are either private or public.

A private fast is one imposed by an individual on himself or his family, for private reasons. 2 Sam. xii. 16. 'David besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.' Psal. xxxv. 13. 'as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting.' Neh. i. 4. it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain

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