Christian is a direct answer to the prayer of Christ. John xvii, 21, 22.

These are all the material objections, usually made against prayer, as a duty of man: I mean, all which are customarily exhibited, as material, by the objectors themselves. If the observations, which have here been made in answer to them, have the same weight in the minds of others, as in my own; it will be seen, that they have no solid basis. Notwithstanding the speciousness which in the eyes of some individuals they have seemed to wear, the encouragements to this duty, mentioned in these discourses, stand altogether unassailed, and possessed of their whole strength. The objectors have conceived erroneously both of the nature, and design, of prayer: and misapprehended the proper influence of the several things, from which they derive their supposed difficulties.

Let every one of my audience, then, go fearlessly, and constantly, to the duty of prayer; and be perfectly assured, that if he prays faithfully, he will not pray in vain. Let him remember, that prayer is a duty, instituted by God; that he cannot but honour his own institution; and that he cannot but be pleased with those, by whom it is obeyed. To pray is to obey God; to please him; to honour him. Those, who honour him, he will honour; while those, who despise him, shall be lightly esteemed. He has set before you every motive to induce you to perform this duty; commands; examples, particularly that of Christ; promises; instances of the actual and wonderful efficacy of prayer; and the clearest testimonies of his own approbation. At the same time, while he has taught you, that no blessing is given but in answer to prayer, he has assured you also, that all good, temporal and eternal, descends as its proper answer from Heaven, Nothing has he left untried to persuade you to this duty.

With his good pleasure, all your own interests conspire in urg ing you to pray. Prayer will make you daily better, wiser, and lovelier in his sight, by cherishing in you those views and emotions, which constitute the character of a good man. It will sooth

every tumult of your bosoms; allay your fears; comfort your sorrows; invigorate your hopes; give you peace in hand, and anticipate glory to come. It will restrain you from sin; strengthen you against temptation; recall you from wandering; give life and serenity to your consciences; furnish you with clearer views concerning your duty; alarm you concerning your danger; and inspire you with ardour, confidence, and delight, in the Christian

course.

In prayer, God will meet you, and commune with you face to face, as a man with his friend. He will lift upon you the light of his reconciled countenance; will put joy and gladness in your hearts; and will awaken in you the spirit of thanksgiving and the voice of melody. When you pass through the waters he will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kin dle on you: for he is the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. In an acceptable time he will hear you, and in a day of salvation will he help you. The mountains will, indeed, depart, and the hills be removed: but, if you seek him faithfully, his kindness shall not depart from you, nor his covenant of peace be removed. Seek, then, the Lord, while he may be found: Call ye upon him, while he is near. When you call, he will answer; and when you cry unto him, he will say, Here I am.

SERMON CXLIII.

THE OI.DINARY MEANS OF GRACE. THE OBJECTIONS TO PRAYER CONSIDERED.

JOB XXI. 15.—What is the Almighty, that we should serve him; and what profit shall we have, if we pray unto him?

THE five first subjects, originally proposed as themes of discourse concerning the duty of prayer, have been examined at length in the four preceding Sermons. The sixth, viz. Objections against this duty, will now occupy our attention.

In the Text, a general objection is made against all obedience to God; and is professedly founded on his character. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? There is nothing in the character of God, nor in our relation to him, which requires our obedience to his will. We are neither obliged by any duty, nor drawn by any interest, to his service. This impious sentiment is exhibited in the context as the sentiment of abandoned men only; and is plainly of a nature too impious to be uttered by any other. The following one, proceeding from the same mouth also, is with perfect propriety exhibited to us as resulting from the same spirit. Yet there are multitudes, who are far from deserving the character of profligacy, who yet say concerning God, What profit shall we have, if we pray to him? This objection, it will be observed, is an universal one. What profit shall we have? that is, we shall not be profited at all, either in our minds, or in our circumstances. We shall not be profited by the proper influence of prayer on ourselves, nor by its efficacy in procuring blessings from God. All objections against prayer may be justly regarded as being summed up in this single question.

It cannot, however, be expected, that on this occasion every objection, which an irreligious mind can devise against this duty, will be taken up, and refuted. Several such objections have been anticipated in the preceding discourses. Of such as remain, I shall examine those only, which may be supposed to have some real weight in the mind of a sober man. These, so far as I recollect them, respect the

Predetermination,
Immutability,
Knowledge, and,

Wisdom, of God; and

The supposed Vanity, and Presumption, of prayer.

may give alms before others. It is our duty to give bread to a starving man in the sight of our families. Nay, it is often our duty to contribute publicly to public charities. We are warranted, and required, to pray, and to fast, before others; and commanded to provide for our own, especially for those of our own households. As none of these assertions will be disputed; they demand no proof. I shall only observe therefore, that the object of our Saviour in these precepts, was to forbid ostentation, and covetousness; and to establish a sincere, humble, self-denying temper in our minds.

As these directions, which are unambiguously expressed, are evidently not to be construed in the literal sense; there is no small reason, from analogy, to believe, that the direction in the text, which is plainly ambiguous, and indefinite, ought also not be construed in this manner. There is, to say the least, as little reason to suppose, that our Saviour has here directed us to use this form of prayer, as that he has required us to do alins, pray, and fast, only in secret; and not to lay up property for the exi gencies of a future day.

This presumption is, I think, changed into a certainty by the following arguments.

1. According to this scheme, we are required always to use this form, and no other.

The words, After this manner pray ye, if understood literally, plainly require, that we always pray in this manner; and therefore, in no other. If they require us to use this form; they require us always to use it. But this will not be admitted by those who hold the opinion, against which I contend.

2. When our Saviour gives directions to his disciples, at another time, to pray after this manner; he uses several variations from the form, which is here given.

In Luke xi. 2, &c. our Saviour recites, in substance, the form of prayer, which is contained in the text; and adopts no less than ten variations. These, He, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, adopted unquestionably with design. Of this design, it was not improbably a part to teach us, that mere words are matters of such indifference, as at any time to be altered, with propriety, in whatever manner the occasion may require.

One of the variations, used by our Saviour in this place, is the omission of the doxology. I am aware, that this is also omitted by a considerable number of manuscripts, in the text. But the authority for the admission of it is such, as to have determined in its favour almost all critics, and given it a place, so far as I know, in almost every Bible. It is, therefore, to be considered as a gen uine part of this prayer of our Saviour. This shows, that the substance even of this prayer may without impropriety be varied, in one part, or another; as the particular occasion may demand, or allow.

3. The petitions, here recited, are not presented in the Name of Christ.

ye

But our Saviour says, John xvi. 23, 24, 26, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name. Ask, and shall receive, that your joy may be full. At that day ye shall ask in my name. St. Paul also, in Col. iii. 17. says, Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him. This prayer, therefore, is defective in one particular, which Christ and St. Paul have, in these passages, made essential to the acceptableness of our prayers.

4. Christ himself does not appear to have used this prayer.

We have several prayers of Christ recorded. All of these are such as plainly arose out of the occasion, on which they were offered up. They were in the strictest sense, extemporaneous: the mere effusions of his heart concerning the subjects by which they were prompted. So far, then, as the example of Christ may be supposed to bear upon this question, it is unfavourable to the supposition, that we are obliged to use this form; and favourable to the use of extemporaneous prayer.

5. The Apostles do not appear ever to have used this prayer.

There are many prayers of the Apostles recorded. All these were extemporaneous, like those of Christ, and the Prophets who went before him; and sprang out of the occasion. If it be admitted that the Apostles are here an example to us; it will follow, that our own prayers may, to say the least, be with the strictest propriety, extemporaneous; and grow out of that state of facts, by which we have been induced to pray. A full proof, also, is furnished here, that the Apostles did not consider this form as obligatory on themselves.

6. This prayer contains no expressions of thanksgiving.

St. Paul, in Phil. iv. 6. says, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. A similar injunction is recorded 1 Tim. ii. 1. From both these it is evident, that St. Paul considered thanksgiving as universally, and essentially, a part of prayer. Had he considered this form as obligatory, on himself, or upon Christians in general; or had Christians in general so considered the subject at that time; he must, I think, have added a form of thanksgiving, as a supplement to this prayer; and not left them to express their thanksgivings extemporaneously in their own words. There is no perceptible reason, why Christians should utter thanksgivings extemporaneously, in words of their own, rather than adorations, petitions, or confessions for sin. If the Spirit of Inspiration thought proper to prescribe a form to us, in which we were required to present our petitions; it is reasonably believed, that he would also prescribe to us a form, in which the other parts, also, of this devotion were to be uttered.