to be a soul-exalting _privilege_. It is his breath; without it, he can
no more maintain his spiritual life, than animal life can be sustained
without breathing. Prayer is an intimate communion with God, by which we
unbosom our hearts to him, and receive communications of his grace, and
fresh tokens of his love. What Christian, then, whose soul burns with
divine love, will be disposed to apply to this holy employment the cold
appellation of _duty_? Yet, God sees so much the importance of prayer,
that he has not only _permitted_, but _commanded_ us to pray. Our Lord
frequently directed his disciples, and us through them, to "watch and
pray." He also teaches us to persevere in prayer: "Men ought always to
pray, and not to faint." The apostle Paul is frequent in exhorting
Christians to pray: "Pray without ceasing." "I will that men pray
everywhere." "Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit." "I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men."
"Continuing instant in prayer." The duty of prayer is also enforced by
the example of all the holy men whose biography is given in Scripture.
Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, and all the prophets, were mighty in
prayer. So were also the apostles. But, above all, the Lord Jesus, our
blessed pattern, has set before us a life of prayer. You will find it
very profitable to read the lives of these holy men, but especially that
of our blessed Saviour, for the special purpose of noticing how much
they abounded in prayer. Our Lord never undertook anything of
importance, without first observing a special season of prayer. Oft we
find him retiring into the mountains, sometimes a great while before
day, for prayer. Indeed, on several occasions, he continued all night in
prayer to God. If, then, it became the Lord of life and glory to spend
much time in prayer, how much more, such weak and sinful creatures as
we, who are surrounded with temptations without, and beset with
corruptions within! Prayer is necessarily so intermingled with every