indeed is it to be feared, that if men were certainly to obtain what they prayed for, the efficacy of prayer would by the folly of man be turned into a curfe, instead of proving a bleffing.

Would men rightly confider, whereas indeed great numbers of them never confider at all, they would easily see that prayer was never defigned as a means of gratifying ambition, avarice, or sensuality; but of obtaining thofe real neceffaries, those material conveniencies, thofe folid comforts, from an all-fuftaining Providence, which nature requires, and could not be happy without. The real wants, nay, and the reasonable comforts of man lye within a very small compafs. Hurried on by mad paffions indeed, and forming vaft and vifionary schemes, we multiply, we aggra yate our wants, and of one real create a thoufand

M 3

a thousand imaginary neceffities; whereas. Nature in herself, that is, Nature fupported and directed by Reafon, is contented with a little, and doth not require a great deal to give her that happiness which the is capable of in her prefent ftate. We deceive ourselves therefore, if we imagine that this petition gives us an unbounded right of afking, in the extravagance of our hearts, for the delicacies and fuperfluities of life; all that our Saviour warrants is our petitioning for the neceffaries and conveniencies of it; for our daily Bread, and that from day to day.

But after all, after we have worked ourfelves up to a proper pitch of confidence in the Providence of God, made a proper ufe of those good things which he hath already bleft us with, and regulated our defires for what we pray according to the dictates

dictates of reason ftill, there remains fomething farther to be done; and an honest industry is required on our parts to make us worthy of God's affiftance.

From fome paffages in Scripture, mifunderstood and wretchedly perverted, explained in a manner contrary to reason, and contrary to other exprefs paffages in Scripture which can never be misunderstood, there have not been wanting, and perhaps never will be wanting, men who would willingly talk industry out of the world, and call laziness and indolence dependance upon Providence; who, truly enthufiaftlike, pretending to feek the kingdom of God, prefume that all these things fhall be added unto them, without any care, any trouble on their fide. How contrary is this to reafon, to the circumftances of the world, to the doctrines of Christianity?

1

The Scriptures do no where countenance a fupine throwing ourselves upon Providence, farther concern for ourselves.

without any

We have no right to expect a miraculous interpofition in our behalf, to hope that we fhall be fed, as the Ifraelites, with food from Heaven, or think that our lands, like Gideon's fleece, fhall be well watered, whilft all around us are dry and barren. Thefe are particular vouchfafements of Providence, and not to be expected by us; but when we do the best we can, when we acquit ourselves likę diligent, industrious and provident men, then may we pray to God to crown our labours with fuccefs, then may we depend upon him for our daily bread, and live fecurely. under his care and protection, without perplexing ourselves with vain fears; and all fears are vain, when we have fecured ourselves an

interest

intereft in the moft High, who is always willing, always able to fupply our wants

To crown the reft, let us laftly add Charity. Senfible of our own wants, let us confider our brethren; and whilft we in this petition acknowledge our dependance upon Providence, let us in a more acceptable manner acknowledge it, by fhewing our regard to his creatures. All that we have, all that we hope for, we here refer to God, and ought in good reason to bestow fome part of it in the manner which he hath appointed; to deal out our bread to the hungry, and to confider the cause of the poor; to be merciful to our brethren in proportion as God has been favourable

to us.

There is no one duty which is fo highly extolled in Scripture, and hath so many

powerful