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thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him, and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

16:25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison-doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

T1 JOHN 3: 21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment; That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

5: 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his

will he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that ye shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not unto death.

JAMES 5: 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months: and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

ZECH. 13: 9. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them.

2 KINGS 19: 20. Thus saith the LORD to Hezekiah, That which thou hast prayed to me against the king of Assyria, I have heard.

Ps. 6: 9. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

34 4. I sought the LORD; he heard me and delivered me out of all my fears.

IX. Characteristics of a Spirit of acceptable Prayer.

1. Sincerity.

Ps. 17: 1. Give ear to my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

145: 18. The LORD is nigh unto all them, that call upon him in truth. JER. 29: 13. Then shall ye find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

ISA. 29: 13. Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men ; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people.

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LAM. 3: 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.

Ps. 78:34. When God slew them, then they sought him, and inquired early after God. -36. Nevertheless

ciful to me a sinner.

they flattered him with their mouth: upon his breast, saying, God be mertheir heart was not right with him. EZEK. 33: 31. With their mouth they show much love; but their heart goeth after their covetousness. MAT. 6: 5. When thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of

men.

23:14. For a pretence, they make long prayers.

2. Praying in Faith.

2 SAM. 7:28. And now, O LORD God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant : therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee: for thou, O LORD God, hast spoken it; and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for

ever.

MAT. 21:22. All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

HEB. 11: 6. Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is; and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

JAMES 5: 15. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.

JOHN 15: 7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

JAMES 1: 6. Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

HEB. 10: 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.

3. Humble Submission.

2 CHRON. 7:14. If my people shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins.

LUKE 18: 13. The publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift his eyes unto heaven, but smote

MAT. 26: 39. He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

JOHN 5: 80. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father that

sent me.

LUKE 15:21. Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

4. Forgiveness.

14.

MAT. 6:12. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

LUKE 6: 37. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.

MAT. 5: 23. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

LUKE 23:34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

5. With Purity of Heart.

Ps. 26: 6. I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar.

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S4: 15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, his ears are open to their cry. 17. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

43. The LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

145: 19. The LORD will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry and will save them.

PROV. 15: 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD; but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

JOHN 9:31. If any man be a wor

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shipper of God and doth his will, thou at all brought this people over him he heareth.

1 JOHN 3: 22. Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Ps. 91: 14. Because he hath set his love on me, therefore will I deliver him.

66: 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me.

6. Fervor.

Ps. 88: 1. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.

LUKE 22: 44. Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

HEB. 5: 7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared.

2 KINGS 20: 2. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.-5. Thus saith the LORD, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

NEH. 1:4. I sat down and wept and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed.

JER. 9: 1. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears.

ROM. 10: 1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

9: 2. I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren.

JAMES 5: 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

X. How Prayer is Hindered.

Јовн. 7: 7. And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast

Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies? For the Canaanites, and all the inhabitants of the land, shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth; and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up! wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them; for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow; for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

T1 SAM. 7: 2. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD.

Ps. 66: 18. If I regard iniquity

in my heart, the LORD will not

hear me.

PROV. 15: 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD.

ISA. 1: 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD. - 12. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations.-15. When ye spread out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. MICAH 3: 1. Ye princes of the house of Israel, is it not for you to know judgment? who hate the good and love the evil.-4. Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

PROV. 28: 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

ISA. 59: 1. The LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God; and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

JER. 11: 10. They are turned back to the iniquities of their fathers.... though they cry unto me, I will not hearken to them.

XI. Position in Prayer.

Ex. 9: 33. Moses spread forth his hands unto the LORD; and the thunder and hail ceased.

Ps. 63: 4. I will lift up my hands in thy name.

1 KINGS 8: 22. Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD,... and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

2 CHRON. 6: 13. Solomon made a scaffold... and upon it he stood and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven.

ALUKE 22: 41. He (Christ) kneeled down and prayed.

MAT. 26: 39. He fell on his face and prayed.

ACTS 7: 60. He (Stephen) kneeled down and cried with a loud voice.

1 CHRON. 21: 16. David and the elders of Israel fell on their faces.

XII. Kinds of Prayer.

1. Private.

MAT. 6: 6. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

14: 23. Jesus... went up into a mountain to pray, and was there alone.

MARK 1: 35. Jesus, rising up a great while before day, departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

LUKE 5: 16. Jesus withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed. ACTS 10: 9. Peter went up upon the housetop to pray.

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XIII. Times of Prayer.

Ps. 5: 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and look up.

55 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud; he shall hear my voice.

119: 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee.

DAN. 6: 10. He kneeled upon his knees three times in a day, and prayed and gave thanks.

1 PETER 4: 7. Be sober and watch unto prayer.

ACTS 3: 1. Peter and John went

up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. (Three P. M.)

XIV. Occasional Prayers.

1. Dedication.

1 KINGS 8: 22. And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD, in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his

hands towards heaven: and he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart; who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel: so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

¶ And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee today: that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, forgive. If any man trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray towards this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheri

tance.

T If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness, there be; what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands towards this house: then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; (for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm:) when he shall come and pray towards this house: hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shalt pray unto the LORD, toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and main

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