other adverfity, that he faith unto them Go, and they go; who is of fuch perfect Goodness, that he sustaineth the Brutes, and feedeth the young Ravens which call upon him, that he openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteousness.

To turn our eyes from these melancholy fcenes of fin and mifery, if we reflect upon the fituation of Man, how impoffible it was for him to avoid finning, and how impoffible to avoid the punishment due to it if we confider him delivered from that terrible dilemma, and if not fecured from finning, directed, which is almoft equivalent, how to escape the confequences of it; if we confider God the Father as ordaining the means of our Redemption, God the Son as performing them, and God the Holy Ghost as refiding in, and fanctifying us, how can we abftain from breaking out

in the lively eloquence of the Pfalmist, Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me praife his holy name, Praife the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits. Such an unexpected, fuch an undeferved change in our affairs, fo great a deliverance, fuch a mighty falvation as it muft neceffarily excite our joy, fo fhould it quicken our gratitude, and incline us to return thee thanks, O God, as for our Creation, Prefervation, and all the Bleffings of this life, fo above all, for thine ineftimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jefus Chrift, for the means of Grace, and for the hope of Glory.

If we confider, that the whole race of men are mutually related to each other, that their concerns are too clofely conpected to bear a feparation, that they came out of the hands of the fame Creator, are fuftained

fuftained by the Providence of the fame Preferver, and purchased by the blood of the fame Redeemer, we cannot but acknowledge the reasonableness of the Duty which the Scriptures lay upon every man, of praying for his neighbour as well as for himfelf; of offering up his petitions to Almighty God, and interceding for them, that he will turn from them whatever may do them harm, and be pleased to give unto them what he fees needful either for their bodies or their fouls.

On the whole, if it is reasonable that the Creature fhould acknowledge his dependance on the Creator, that those who have done amiss fhould confefs it, and ask forgiveness, that thofe who ftand in need of many good, and in fear of many evil things, fhould petition for the obtaining of the one, and preventing of the other, if

it is reasonable to return thanks for benefits received, and evils prevented, to love our brethren, and to pay regard to the concerns of thofe perfons with whom our own are connected, then it is in all these feveral refpects highly reasonable, that we should discharge the duty of Prayer to Almighty God.

This is fo evident, that we should scarce believe, did we not daily fee it, that a rational creature could live in the grofs neglect and open contempt of a duty, which, merely as a rational creature, he cannot but know that he ought to perform; which is not more strongly recommended by Scripture, than by Reafon itself, the darling idol of the modern world; and the contempt of which must not only rank him amongst the irreligious, but which he may perhaps think worse, amongst the unreasonable part

of

of the creation. Notwithstanding this there are men in the world, and thofe mighty Pretenders to Reason, who openly decry this duty, at least all the external parts of it, well knowing that without them the duty itfelf cannot long fubfift, and artfully found their objections against it, upon an acknowledgement of, and a feeming veneration for, the divine attributes, and the honour of God's nature.

If, fay they, God is of infinite knowledge, as those who pray to him must certainly allow, what occafion is there for us to confess our fins, and exprefs our forrow for them, to lay open our wants and neceffities to him, who by the neceffary perfection of his nature fees into our hearts, and difcerns every motion there much plainer than we can poffibly exprefs them.

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