Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830 edition. Excerpt: ...were from the levity of the witling, contributed something to the efi'ect of his public devotions. The question has been asked by more than one distinguished minister, since Dr. Payson's death, whether he left behind him any written forms of prayer. So far from this, it is believed he never wrote a prayer. There are, indeed, interspersed throughout his private writings and sermons, numerous ejaculations, and supplicatory paragraphs; but nothing intended exclusively as a prayer. His " confession and form of covenant," in a preceding chapter, bears the nearest resemblance to a prayer of any thing, which has been discovered, from his pen; and will give a better idea, than any description, of the leading impression which his prayers produced on the hearers, namely--the infinite disparity which exists between God and the creature--at the same time that it brings to view numerous particulars, in which this contrast may be seen. " God is in heaven, and we upon earth"--was the great truth, which stood forth with distinguished prominence in his invocations, confessions, pleadings, intercessions, and ascriptions. His prayers conformed with singular felicity to his own definition of the exercise, which makes it--" a kind of devout poetry, the whole subject-matter of which is furnished by the heart, and the understanding is only allowed to shape and arrange the effusions of the heart, in the manner best adapted to honor the Being, to whom prayer is addressed, and to excite and direct the devotional feelings of his worshippers." But a thousand forms, of his prayers even, could never teach another to pray like him. He neither found for himself, nor could he mark out for others, a " royal road" to the throne of grace; and the "gift of prayer," for which...