Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-04-21
NEW JERUSALEM SERMONS.
ON PRAYER.

~ unto y(n Ask. aud il shall be given you; seek
and sc shall hp knock and 1t shall be opened unto you"
LUKE xi.e
The dutf of prayer is to the true Christian,
one of thghighest and hoiest one of the most
importaIf and most interesting, of his religious
duties. Ut is, too, one of the most comforting
and cofoling. It is an uniailing resource in
time ofirouble and distress. When the cares
of lig press heavily upon him, and his mind
has 1ecome harassed with worldly anxieties,
thet is it not rest and n comfort, 10 be able
to hlrh away his thoughts, for time entirely
firm the world and its troubles, to which they
I've all day been bent down, AND lift them up
bwards that world, where there is no care nor
trouble, but peace ever reigns, and towards
I that Lord who is the Prince of Peace? Thus
4 does his mind become elevated into another
| sphere, is lifted above the mists, and clouds,
and shadows, that hover over and fit about
this lower state of existence, and he finds him
self in pure atmosphere Of light and warmth
| flowing from the heavenly Sun. Such sup
port, suclta consolation, has the man, who
from principle and affection has accustomed
himself to the sacred duty of private prayer.
| When the hand of sickness is laid upon him,
and he lies on the bed Of pain, then, he who
has bssn accustomed habitually TO raise his
thoughts in secret prayer, now finds his re-
ward he looks up trustingly to Him who has
tenderly promised that he twill strengthen"
his servants 'on the bed of languishing, and
will make all their bed in their sickness" Ps
xii. g., and he finds that precious promise full
filled; holy influence descends upon his
heart, that strengthens and supports him, and
gives him peace even in the midst of pain.
But it is not in the time of trouble and ad-
versity, only, that the true Christian finds
benefit and delight in the duty of prayer and
communion with his Heavenly Father. In the
time of prosperity, also, when all things go
well with him, and he is happy; when, as the
expression is fortune smiles upon him, and he
is blessed with health ofbody and cheerfulness
of mind, then he does not forget, nor wish
to forget, to whom he owes all these blessings.
Fortune, to him, is not fortune, but providence,
which has been constantly, though secretly,
exerted to procure all these good things for
him; his friends have been placed around him
by Divine hand though unseen; and his
health both of body and mind, he knows to be
the Lords direct gift-the direct effect of that
fnhowing stream of life, which comes each mo-
ment afresh from the one and only Fountain of
life. Having his mind filled with these thoughts
he comes to the Lord in prayer; a prayer, not
so much now of supplication, as of warm
thanksgiving and gratitude; and in the very
act Of expressing those affectionate thanks, he
finds new blessing descending upon his
heart, new cause for gratitude and thankful
ness; for he thus finds his happiness purified
and snnctfed, and filled with deeper and
more internal delight. Such are the blessed
effects of true devotion and fervent prayer
Thus does the sincere Christian, the truly de-
vout and spiritual man, keep ever near to the
Lord, his Heavenly Father; and thus, at all
times, and in all states, does he receive from
Him protection, consolation, support and bless
ing.
II such, then, are the spiritual benefits and
advantages of prayer, can we neglect this sa-
cred duty if we regard our own eternal good,
our true and lasting happiness, both here and
hereafter2 Yet there are those, it is to be
feared, who do not give to it that attention
, which it deserves and requires This neglect,
with some, is owing, probably, to want of
reflection on the subject; with others, to
their entertaining certain loose and mistaken
views in regard to it, 1t is my desire, there
fore, on the present occasion, to examine this
subject deliberately, by the light, both of rea-
son and of Revelation; that, having thus dis
covered the truth in regard to it, we may be-
come more sensible of the benefit and neces-
sity of attending to this important duty of re-
ligion.
Let us, then, consider in rational point of
view, the nature of prayer--what it is, what is
its origin, and what its use;
aPrayer," says the Doctrine of the New
Church, "prayer, considered in itself, is dis
course with God and at such times, a certain
intuition of those things which are the object
of prayer, to which corresponds certain SINH
lar principle of influx into the perception or
thought of the mind of him who prays, so that
there is kind of opening of the mans Intervals
towards God but this with difference ac-
cording to mans state, and to the essence Of
thing which is the object of the prayer. If the
prayer be grounded in love and faith, regard
ing only heavenly and spiritual things as its
objects and ends, then in the prayer there ex-
lists somewhat resembling a revelation, which
| is manifested in the affection of the person
praying, as to hope, consolation, or some in
ternal JOY"
Prayer, then, is "discourse with God y and
the effect of such discourse or communion is to
openman's mind towards God the consequence
of which is n revelation from him to the mind
so opened, new influx of goodness and truth,
and, with them, of joy and peace, into mans
soul This Is the effect of genuine prayer.
II is common course with unbelievers, with
those who deny or doubtthe necessity and use
of prayer, to reason thus: God is omniscient,
and therefore knows all our wants; He is
moreover Almighty and therefore is able to
supply them. The conclusion is, that He will
supply them, without being asked therefore,
prayer is unnecessary This argument is brief
and pointed, and, at first sight, appears to be
conclusive; but, when closely examined, it will
be found, like most of mans reasoning about
spiritual things, to be tallacious. There is a
defect in the premises on which the argument
is based or rather, there are several links
wanting in the chain ofreasoning, that attempts
A.. .a.noot .I,a ,,,o,,,;eas With tha conciuaion