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who appear in their lives to be at least good moral men but fuch, I trust, are in a much fairer way of believing the mysteries than objecting to the duties of the Chriftian Religion, which is not lefs remarkable for matters of Faith than Practice, for the Revelation of truths, than the perfecting of virtue.

Now to God the Father, &c. &c.

SERMON

SERMON II.

JAMES V. 16th.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous

man availeth much.

HE Nature of Prayer, the Grounds

THE

on which that Duty is founded, and the reasonableness of our performing it, are what I apprehend few can be ignorant of; none indeed, who are conftant in the worship of God and the fervice of the Sanctuary. But I fear, we have not the fame reafon to believe, that the right manner of performing this duty is fo generally known, or at least that it is fo generally practifed; fince very flight obfervation

may

may affure us, that a great part even of thofe who ftrictly comply with the formalities of prayer, are either ignorant of the manner in which it fhould be performed fo as to prove effectual, or indifferent whether it proves effectual or not. I fhall make it my business therefore to fhew,

First, The qualifications requifite to make our prayers acceptable to Godand in order to engage us more heartily therein, fhall,

Secondly, Mention thofe advantages which we may reasonably expect from a due difcharge of that Duty.

There are, it is to be feared, many perfons in the world who imagine themselves worthy performers of this duty, merely

because

because they are regular and conftant in faying over a few prayers without rectifying the temper of their minds, or altering the method of their lives. But alas! how much are thefe miftaken! No petition can poffibly be acceptable to God, which is not offered up with proper Affections, which is not attended with proper Actions. Was it merely the repetition of a Prayer which called down Bleffings from above, those who pray through oftentation, and a defire of being feen of men, or through prudential and interefted motives, might expect them equally with the fincere and contrite, and thofe who, like the heathen, and our modern enthusiasts, make use of long prayers, might expect bleffings fo much greater than others, as their prayers are longer. But of the firft of these our Saviour has affured us that they have their reward; that is, they have the good opinion

of

T

of men, which they fought after, and must not expect any reward from God; of the latter, he implies to us that they are not heard for their much fpeaking; and of all in general whofe prayers are outfide fhew, he pronounces, that the Lord detefteth thofe who approach him with their lips, whilft their heatrs are far from him.

Sincerity is the life of prayer; it is that which makes it an act of true devotion, and of high price in the fight of God; and this virtue we may be fure we have in a good degree, when we endeavour to purify our minds from all iniquity, and afk nothing but with a good and upright intention. God, who fees the heart, will not merely confider whether the things we pray for are good in themfelves, but whether they will be fo in our ufe of them; whether we fhall employ them to fuch

good

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