ndeed, I fear, neither pray at fixed times, nor do they
cultivate an habitual communion with Almighty God. Indeed, it is too
plain how most men pray. They pray now and then, when they feel
particular need of God's assistance; when they are in trouble or in
apprehension of danger; or when their feelings are unusually excited.
They do not know what it is either to be habitually religious, or to
devote a certain number of minutes at fixed times to the thought of
God. Nay, the very best Christian, how lamentably deficient is he in
the spirit of prayer! Let any man compare in his mind how many times
he has prayed when in trouble, with how seldom he has returned thanks
when his prayers have been granted; or the earnestness with which he
prays against expected suffering, with the languor and unconcern of his
thanksgivings afterwards, and he will soon see how little he has of the
real habit of prayer, and how much his religion depends on accidental
excitement, which is no test of a religious heart. Or supposing he has
to repeat the same prayer for a month or two, the cause of using it
continuing, let him compare the earnestness with which he first said
it, and tried to enter into it, with the coldness with which he at
length uses it. Why is this, except that his perception of the unseen
world is not the true view which faith gives (else it would last as
that world itself lasts), but a mere dream, which endures for a night,
and is succeeded by a hard worldly joy in the morning? Is God
habitually in our thoughts? Do we think of Him, and of His Son our
Saviour, through the day? When we eat and drink, do we thank Him, not
as a mere matter of form, but in spirit? When we do things in
themselves right, do we lift up our minds to Him, and desire to promote
His glory? When we are in the exercise of our callings, do we still
think of Him, acting ever conscientiously, desiring to know His will
more exactly than we do at present, and aiming at fulfilling it more
completely and abundantly? Do we wait on His grace to enlighten,
renew, strengthen us?

I do not ask whether we use many words about religion. There is no
need to do this: nay, we should avoid a boastful display of our better
feelings and practices, silently serving God without human praise, and
hiding our conscientiousness except when it would dishonour God to do
so. There are times, indeed, when, in the presence of a holy man, to
confess is a benefit, and there are