will make in his own mind is not the effect he thinks of, or expects from his devotions. Nay, if this be indeed all that he is to expect, and he be made to comprehend it; the discovery, it is very poffible, may be attended with inconvenience, a diminution of that very advantage which is fuppofed to be his only one. The earneftness of his prayers may be checked, by the recollection of the design of them; and his fervor cooled, by the very consciousness that he is only endeavouring to excite it. There is fomething delicate in the nature of the affections and paffions; which are found ready enough to rife, and exert themselves in all their ftrength upon the appearance of their proper objects: they wait for no other fignal; but are cach in order in their ftations, and pre pared ་ pared to execute the parts allotted them in the œconomy of nature. But if there is any apprehenfion of defign or art, any fufpicion, as it were, fpread among them of an intention to draw them out for other purposes than their own; they become referved and backward, cold and lifeless in their operations; and, in short, discover in every refpect the fymptoms of an unwilling obedience. A ftudied, affected, fictitious paffion betrays itfelf even to the by-ftanders: and much more muft it be known, furely, to my own heart, whether I feel a fentiment fpringing up naturally within me, or am only labouring artificially and deceitfully to excite it. SER SERMON II. MATTH. vii. 7. ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU: SEEK, AND YE SHALL FIND. YOU may remember a little ancient fable to the following purpofe. An old man upon his death-bed, said to his fons as they stood round him, I am poffeffed, my dear children, of treasure of great value, which, as it is fit, muft now be yours: They drew nearer: Nay, added the fick man, I have it not here in my hands; it is depofited fomewhere in my fields; dig, and you will be fure to find. They followed his directions, though they mistook his meaning. Trea fure fure of gold or filver there was none; but by means of this extraordinary culture, the land yielded in the time of harvest such an abundant crop, as both rewarded them for their obedience to their parent, and at the same time explained the nature of his command. Our Father, who is in heaven, hath commanded us in our wants to apply to him in prayer, with an affurance of fuccefs: afk, and it shall be given you; feek, and ye shall find. Now, it is certain that without his immediate interpofition, were Ifai. lix. 1. his ear heavy, as the fcripture phrase is, that he could not hear; there is a natural efficacy in our prayers themselves to work in our minds thofe graces and good difpofitions which we beg of the Almighty, and by confequence to make us fitter objects of his mercy. Thus it is, that we afk, and receive; we feek, and, like the children of the fagacious old husband man, man, find also the very thing which we were feeking, though in another form: our petitions produce in fact the good effects which we defired, though not in the manner which we ignorantly expected. But yet, allowing this confideration its full force, there is no neceffity of ftopping here, and confining the power of prayer to this fingle method of ope ration. Does the clear affurance of its use in this way preclude the hopes of every other advantage? Muft we needs be made acquainted with all the efficacy of every thing that is our duty, and know the whole ground and reafon of all the actions which Almighty God can poffibly require of us? When the Ifraelites under the conduct of Joshua were commanded, upon hearing the found of the trumpet, to fhout |