of the intrinsic excellence of that godlike disposition; not from mere weak and effeminate softness of nature.

It is strange, that ever it should have been questioned, whether it is reasonable for dependent creatures to address themselves to their Infinite Creator for the supply of their wants. Yet books have been written to show the unrea. sonableness of prayer. "The Supreme Being," says an objector, "knows whether I am worthy to receive favours at his hand, and what I most need, before I apply to him. "If I am worthy, he will bestow, whether I ask or not: If not, he will not be prevailed on by any solicitation to bestow upon an unworthy object. If I ask what is unfit for me, he is too wise and good to grant it; and if I ask what is fit, I gain nothing: for he would have bestowed it upon me of his own goodness, without my asking."

There cannot be a more egregious fallacy than that, on which this objection is founded. For it is evident, that, if it be rational to think of ourselves as beings dependent upon the Supreme, it is rational for us to express our de pendence; if it be reasonable for us to express our depen. dence on our Creator, it is unjustifiable in us to neglect it; so that I can in no propriety of speech be said to be a worthy object of the Divine favour, till I actually address myself to him. Again, it is evident, that no degree of homage, or submission, ought to be wanting from depen dent creatures to their Creator. But the service of both body and mind is a greater degree of homage, than that of the mind alone. So that till I yield the bodily homage, as well as that of the mind, my service is deficient, which renders me an unworthy object of the Divine favour.

It is likewise remarkable, that many of the more rational and pious writers on this subject, have laboured to represent the whole rationale of the duty of prayer as consist ing in the advantage which is thereby to accrue to the wor. shipper by improvement in piety and goodness. It is true, that the moral effects likely to be produced by the constant observance of this most important duty, are of great and inestimable consequence, which renders it a most useful instrument for those noble purposes. Did men habitually observe the practice of addressing them. selyes to their Creator, with an awful sense of his infinite greatness and authority over them; such a fixed impres

sion must in time be thereby made upon their minds, as would prove a restraint from vice, at all times, and in all cases, equally powerful. Did people make a point of applying constantly and regularly to the Giver of every good gift, they could hardly miss entertaining in their minds an habitual sense of their absolute dependence upon him; of gratitude for his bounties received; and of studying obedience, in order to his future favour. What man could be so hardened as to go on daily lamenting and confessing his offences, and daily repeating them? Who could presumptuously be guilty of a crime, which he knew he must the same day confess to his all-seeing Judge, and implore the pardon of it? He, who kept up his constant intercourse with his Creator, must find himself very pow erfully influenced by it, and improved in every pious and worthy disposition. But besides all this, it is evidently in itself a reasonable service; and is to be considered not only as a noble and valuable means of moral improvement, but as a positive act of virtue; it being as proper virtue to render to God the honour and worship due to him, as to give to men their just rights. And to withhold from him what he has the most unquestionable title to, being as much an injustice (with the atrocious addition of its being committed against the greatest and best of beings) as to withhold from a fellow-creature his just property. There is also plainly a connexion in nature and reason, between asking and receiving, and between neglecting to ask and not receiving. This natural connexion makes it reasonable for dependent creatures to expect to obtain their reasonable requests; and to conclude, that what they do not think it worth while to ask they shall not receive. If there were not such a connexion and foundation in reason for this duty, it had never been commanded by the allwise Lawgiver of the universe; nor come to be universally practised by the wisest and best of mankind, in all ages and nations. Nor is there any greater difficulty in con. ceiving the possibility of a pre-established scheme in the Divine economy, according to which the blessings of Heaven, whether of a spiritual or temporal nature, should be granted to those who should ask, and be found fit to receive them, than in any other instance of Povidence, or

than in the future happiness of the good part of mankind, and not of the wicked.

If the Supreme Being be One, he is the proper object of the adoration of all reasonable beings, because, having all things in his absolute disposal, without possibility of being thwarted or controled by any one, if we can gain his good-will, we cannot want that of any other. If He be kind and good in the most disinterested manner, and to the highest degree, even extending his bounty to the wicked and rebellious, and preserving them in existence, who make no use of their existence but to offend Him; it is reasonable to hope, that He will lend a propitious ear to the humble requests of the virtuous and pious part of his creatures. If he has all things in his power, and can bestow without measure, gifts both spiritual and temporal, without diminishing his inexhaustible riches, to apply to him is going where we are sure we shall not be disappointed through want of ability to supply us. If he is every where present, we may be sure of being heard wherever we make our addresses to him. If he is within our very minds, we cannot raise a thought toward him, but he must perceive it. If he is infinitely wise, he knows exactly what is fit for us, and will grant such of our petitions 'as may be proper to be bestowed upon us, and withhold whatever may prove hurtful, though we have asked it. If it be reasonable to suppose, that he expects all his think. ing creatures to apply to him, we may do it with this comfortable consideration, to encourage us; that in addressing him, we are doing what is agreeable to his nature and will, and cannot offend him but by our manner of performing it. Were I to have an audience of a prince, it would give me great encouragement to know that he was graciously disposed toward me, that I should not offend him by begging his favour and protection; but that, on the contrary, he expected I should petition him, and would even take it amiss if I did not; that he had it fully in his power, as well as in his inclination, to grant me the greatest favour I should have occasion to ask him; and that it was his peculiar delight to oblige and make his subject happy. There are few princes, of whom most of these things may be said; and none, of whom all may be affirmed. And yet they find, to their no small trouble and

incumbrance, that for the few inconsiderable, perishing favours they have in their power, there are petitioners almost innumerable. Whilst the infinitely Good Giver of all things, whose disposition, and whose power to bestow happiness inconceivable, are equally boundless, is neglected and defrauded of that homage and devotion, to which all his creatures ought to be drawn by a sense of their own absolute dependance upon him; of his ability and readiness to bestow; of his authority, who has commanded them to make their requests to him; and by the spontaneous dictates of their own minds, directing them to the performance of a duty so easy, so reasonable, and so promising of the most important advantages.

Though the principal part of prayer is petition, or addressing Heaven for the supply of our various wants for life and futurity, there are other branches, as confession of our infirmities and faults; thanksgiving for the various instances we have received of the Divine Goodness; and intercession for our fellow-creatures. The subject of our petitions for ourselves ought to be necessaries of this life, for which the rich, as well as the poor, depend daily on the Divine Bounty, and the Divine Assistance toward our being fitted for happiness hereafter. The first, if we judge wisely, we shall ask with great submission, and in moderation, as being of less consequence, and too apt to have bad effects upon our moral characters, when liberally be stowed. The latter, being of infinite consequence to us, we may request with more earnestness and importunity.

If we give the least attention to our own characters, we must find our thoughts often trifling and wicked, our words foolish and mischievous, and our actions criminal before God. If we have any consideration, we cannot but think ourselves deplorably deficient in the performance of our duty with regard to ourselves, our fellow-creatures, and Our Creator. If we are in reason obliged to think often of the fatal errors of our lives, to view and review them attentively, with all their heavy aggravations, and to mourn and lament them in our own minds; if all this be highly proper and reasonable, it is more peculiarly reasonable to acknowledge our offences before Him, whom we have offended; to implore his pardon, who alone can forgive and deprecate his vengeance, which we have so justly de

served. We ourselves, when offended by a fellow-creature, expect that he should not only be convinced in his own mind of his misbehaviour, and speak of it with concern to others; but likewise, that he come and make a direct acknowledgment, and ask our pardon. Nor is there any thing unreasonable in all this. How much more, when we have offended Him who is infinitely above us, and from whom we have every thing to fear, if we do not, by sincere repentance, and thorough reformation, avert the desery. ed punishment. Especially, if we consider that the performance of this duty tends naturally to lead us to real repentance and reformation.

As we ought in our prayers to confess our faults and errors, and that not in general terms, but with particular reflection, in our own minds, upon the principal and grossest of them, which every true penitent has ever upon his heart, and before his eyes; so ought we in all reason to return our sincere thanks to the universal Benefactor, expressly for every particular signal instance of his favour, whether those, in which mankind in general share with us, or those in which we have been distinguished from others.

If we have upon our minds a due and habitual sense of our offences, we shall of ourselves be willing to make confession of them. If we have any gratitude in our nature we shall not fail to express our acknowledgments for our favours received. And if we have any real benevolence for our fellow-creatures, we shall be naturally led to think it our duty to present to the common Father of All, our good wishes for them; that they may be favoured with every blessing which may tend to promote universal happiness, spiritual and temporal.

If it be at all rational to worship God by prayer, it is obviously so to join together at proper times in that sublime exercise. The advantages of public assemblies for religious purposes, are the impressing more powerfully upon the minds of the worshippers, the sublimity and importance of the duty they are employed in, and the powerful effects of universal example. It is pretty evident, that the public worship on Sundays is what chiefly keeps up the little appearance of religion that is still left among us. I think there is no good reason against keeping up in public worship as much pomp and magnificence as may