between them is, that the one consists in action, the other in forbearance. When we go to church on the Lord's day, led thither by a sense of duty towards God, we perform an act of worship: when, from the same motive, we rest in a journey upon that day, we discharge a duty of reverence. Divine worship is made up of adoration, thanks- 3. Prayer has a natural tendency to amend the giving, and prayer.-But, as what we have to petitioner himself; and thus to bring him within offer concerning the two former may be observed the rules which the wisdom of the Deity has preof prayer, we shall make that the title of the fol-scribed to the dispensation of his favours. lowing chapters, and the direct subject of our consideration.

Of the Duty and of the Eficacy of Prayer, so far as the same appear from the Light of Nature. WHEN one man desires to obtain any. thing of another, he betakes himself to entreaty; and this may be observed of mankind in all ages and coun-in consequence of his praying for it. It is suffitries of the world. Now, what is universal, may be called natural; and it seems probable that God, as our supreme governor, should expect that towards himself, which, by a natural impulse, or by the irresistible order of our constitution, he has prompted us to pay to every other being on whom we depend.

another, who was too proud, too lazy, or too busy, I prayer would infallibly restore health? In short, too indifferent whether he received it or not, or if the efficacy of prayer were so constant and ob too insensible of the sovereign's absolute power to servable as to be relied upon beforehand, it is easy give or to withhold it, ever to ask for it? or even to foresee that the conduct of mankind would, in to the philosopher, who, from an opinion of the proportion to that reliance, become careless and fruitlessness of all addresses to a prince of the cha-disorderly. It is possible, in the nature of things, racter which he had formed to himself, refused in that our prayers may, in many instances, be efhis own example, and discouraged in others, all ficacious, and yet our experience of their efficacy outward returns of gratitude, acknowledgment of be dubious and obscure. Therefore, if the light of duty, or application to the sovereign's mercy or nature instruct us by any other arguments to hope bounty; the disuse of which, (seeing affections do for effect from prayer; still more, if the Scriptures not long subsist which are never expressed) was authorise these hopes by promises of acceptance; followed by a decay of loyalty and zeal amongst it seems not a sufficient reason for calling in queshis subjects, and threatened to end in a forgetful- tion the reality of such effects, that our observaness of his rights, and a contempt of his authority? tions of them are ambiguous; especially since it These, together with other assignable considera- appears probable, that this very ambiguity is netions, and some perhaps inscrutable, and even in- cessary to the happiness and safety of human life. conceivable, by the persons upon whom his will But some, whose objections do not exclude all was to be exercised, might pass in the mind of the prayer, are offended with the mode of prayer in prince, and move his counsels; whilst nothing, in use amongst us, and with many of the subjects the mean time, dwelt in the petitioner's thoughts, which are almost universally introduced into pubbut a sense of his own grief and wants; of the lic worship, and recommended to private devotion. power and goodness from which alone he was to To pray for particular favours by name, is to diclook for relief; and of his obligation to endeavour, tate, it has been said, to Divine wisdom and goodby future obedience, to render that person pro- ness: to intercede for others, especially for whole pitious to his happiness, in whose hands, and at nations and empires, is still worse; it is to presume the disposal of whose mercy, he found himself that we possess such an interest with the Deity, as to be. to be able, by our applications, to bend the most The objection to prayer supposes, that a per- important of his counsels; and that the happiness fectly wise being must necessarily be inexorable: of others, and even the prosperity of communities, but where is the proof, that inexorability is any is to depend upon this interest, and upon our part of perfect wisdom; especially of that wisdom choice. Now, how unequal soever our knowledge which is explained to consist in bringing about of the Divine economy may be to the solution of the most beneficial ends by the wisest means? this difficulty, which requires perhaps a compreThe objection likewise assumes another prin-hension of the entire plan, and of all the ends of ciple, which is attended with considerable difficulty and obscurity, namely, that upon every occasion there is one, and only one, mode of acting for the best; and that the Divine Will is necessarily determined and confined to that mode: both which positions presume a knowledge of universal nature, much beyond what we are capable of attaining. Indeed, when we apply to the Divine Nature such expressions as these, "God must always do what is right," "God cannot, from the moral perfection and necessity of his nature, act otherwise than for the best," we ought to apply them with much indeterminateness and reserve; or rather, we ought to confess, that there is something in the subject out of the reach of our apprehension; for, in our apprehension, to be under a necessity of acting according to any rule, is inconsistent with free agency; and it makes no difference which we can understand, whether the necessity be internal or external, or that the rule is the rule of perfect rectitude.

But efficacy is ascribed to prayer without the proof, we are told, which can alone in such a subject produce conviction,-the confirmation of experience. Concerning the appeal to experience, I shall content myself with this remark, that if prayer were suffered to disturb the order of second causes appointed in the universe, too much, or to produce its effects with the same regularity that they do, it would introduce a change into human affairs, which, in some important respects, would be evidently for the worse. Who, for example, would labour, if his necessities could be supplied with equal certainty by prayer? How few would contain within any bounds of moderation those passions and pleasures, which at present are checked only by disease, or the dread of it, if

God's moral government, to explain satisfactorily, we can understand one thing concerning it: that it is, after all, nothing more than the making of one man the instrument of happiness and misery to another; which is perfectly of a piece with the course and order that obtain, and which we must believe were intended to obtain, in human affairs. Why may we not be assisted by the prayers of other men, who are beholden for our support to their labour? Why may not our happiness be made in some cases to depend upon the intercession, as it certainly does in many upon the good offices, of our neighbours? The happiness and misery of great numbers we see oftentimes at the disposal of one man's choice, or liable to be much affected by his conduct: what greater difficulty is there in supposing, that the prayers of an individual may avert a calamity from multitudes, or be accepted to the benefit of whole communities?

CHAPTER III.

Of the Duty and Efficacy of Prayer as Represented in Scripture.

THE reader will have observed, that the reflections stated in the preceding chapter, whatever truth and weight they may be allowed to contain, rise many of them no higher than to negative arguments in favour of the propriety of addressing prayer to God. To prove that the efficacy of prayers is not inconsistent with the attributes of the Deity, does not prove that prayers are actually efficacious: and in the want of that unequivocal testimony, which experience alone could afford to this point, (but which we do not possess, and have

give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field."-"I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for

and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." Psalm cxxii: 6; Zech. x. 1; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, 3.

seen good reason why we are not to expect,) the | blessings : "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”— light of nature leaves us to controverted proba-" Ask ye of the Lord rain, in the time of the latter bilities, drawn from the impulse by which man-rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and kind have been almost universally prompted to devotion, and from some beneficial purposes, which, it is conceived, may be better answered by the audience of prayer than by any other mode of communicating the same blessings. The revela-all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet tions which we deem authentic, completely supply this defect of natural religion. They require prayer to God as a duty; and they contain positive assurance of its efficacy and acceptance. We could have no reasonable motive for the exercise of prayer, without believing that it may avail to the relief of our wants. This belief can only be founded, either in a sensible experience of the effect of prayer, or in promises of acceptance signified by Divine authority. Our knowledge would have come to us in the former way, less capable indeed of doubt, but subjected to the abuses and inconveniences briefly described above; in the latter way, that is, by authorized significations of God's general disposition to hear and answer the devout supplications of his creatures, we are encouraged to pray, but not place such a dependence upon prayer as might relax other obligations, or confound the order of events and of human expectations.

The Scriptures not only affirm the propriety of prayer in general, but furnish precepts or examples which justify some topics and some modes of prayer that have been thought exceptionable, And as the whole subject rests so much upon the foundation of Scripture, I shall put down at length texts applicable to the five following heads: to the duty and efficacy of prayer in general; of prayer for particular favours by name; for public national blessings; of intercession for others; of the repetition of unsuccessful prayers.

4. Examples of intercession, and exhortations to intercede for others:-" And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people? Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."-" Feter, therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him."-" For God is my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers."-" Now I beseech you, bretheren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me, in your prayers for me.""Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Exod. xxxii. 11; Acts xii. 5; Rom. i. 9. xv. 30; James v, 16.

5. Declarations and examples authorising the repetition of unsuccessful prayer: " And he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."" And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."-" For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.' " ́ Luke xviii. 1; Matt. xxvi. 44; 2 Ĉor. xii. 8.*

CHAPTER IV.7

Of Private Prayer, Family Prayer, and
Public Worship.

CONCERNING these three descriptions of devotion, it is first of all to be observed, that each has its separate and peculiar use; and therofore, that the exercise of one species of worship, however regular it be, does not supersede, or dispense with, the obligation of either of the other two.

1. Texts enjoying prayer in general: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find:-If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?"-" Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."-"Serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer."-"Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God."-"I will, therefore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting."-"Pray without ceasing." Matt. vii. 7. 11; Luke xxi. 36; Rom. Private wants cannot always be made the subxii. 12; Phil. iv. 6; 1 Thess. v. 17; 1 Tim. ii. 8.ject of public prayer: but whatever reason there Add to these, that Christ's reproof of the ostenta-is for praying at all, there is the same for making tion and prolixity of pharisaical prayers, and his the sore and grief of each man's own heart the recommendation to his disciples, of retirement and business of his application to God. This must be simplicity in theirs, together with his dietating a the office of private exercises of devotion, being particular form of prayer, all presuppose prayer imperfectly, if at all, practicable in any other. to be an acceptable and availing service.

1. Private Prayer is recommended for the sake of the following advantages:

reject the invocation of saints; as also because such in

The reformed Churches of Christendom, sticking 2. Examples of prayer for particular favours close in this article, to their guide, have laid aside pray. by name: For this thing" (to wit, some bodilyers for the dead, as authorised by no precept or precedent infirmity, which he calls a thorn given him in the found in Scripture. For the same reason they properly flesh')"I besought the Lord thrice, that it might vocations suppose, in the saints whom they address, a depart from me."-"Night and day praying ex- knowledge whichcan perceive what passes in different ceedingly, that we might see your face, and per- regions of the earth at the same time. fect that which is lacking in your faith." 2 Cor. it too much to take for granted, without the smallest inxii. 8; 1 Thess. iii. 10.

3. Directions to pray for national or public pra

And they deem

timation of such a thing in Scripture, that any created being possesses a faculty little short of that omniscience and omnipresence which they ascribe to the Deity,

Private prayer is generally more devout and earnest than the share we are capable of taking in joint acts of worship; because it affords leisure and opportunity for the circumstantial recollection of those personal wants, by the remembrance and ideas of which the warmth and earnestness of prayer are chiefly excited.

general diffusion of religious knowledge amongst all orders of Christians, which will appear a great thing when compared with the intellectual condition of barbarous nations, can fairly, I think, be ascrib ed to no other cause than the regular establishment of assemblies for divine worship; in which, either portions of Scripture are recited and explained, or the principles of Christian erudition are so constantly taught in sermons, incorporated with liturgies, or expressed in extempore prayer, as to imprint, by the very repetition, some knowledge and memory of these subjects upon the most unqualified and careless hearer.

Private prayer, in proportion as it is usually accompanied with more actual thought and reflection of the petitioner's own, has a greater tendency than other modes of devotion to revive and fasten upon the mind the general impressions of religion. Solitude powerfully assists this effect. When a man finds himself alone in communication with his The two reasons above stated, bind all the memCreator, his imagination becomes filled with a bers of a community to uphold public worship, by conflux of awful ideas concerning the universal their presence and example, although the helps and agency, and invisible presence, of that Being; opportunities which it affords may not be necessary concerning what is likely to become of himself: to the devotion or edification of all; and to some and of the superlative importance of providing for may be useless: for it is easily foreseen, how soon the happiness of his future existence by endea- religious assemblies would fall into contempt and vours to please him who is the arbiter of his des- disuse, if that class of mankind who are above tiny reflections which, whenever they gain ad-seeking instruction in them, and want not that mittance, for a season overwhelm all others; and leave, when they depart, a solemnity upon the thoughts, that will seldom fail, in some degree, to affect the conduct of life.

Private prayer, thus recommended by its own propriety and by advantages not attainable in any form of religious communion, receives a superior sanction from the authority and example of Christ: "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father, which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."-" And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray." Matt. vi. 6; xiv. 23.

II. Family Prayer.

their own piety should be assisted by either forms or society in devotion, were to withdraw their attendance; especially when it is considered, that all who please, are at liberty to rank themselves of this class. This argument meets the only serious apology that can be made for the absenting of ourselves from public worship.-"Surely (some will say) I may be excused from going to church, so long as I pray at home: and have no reason to doubt that my prayers are as acceptable and effiCacious in my closet, as in a cathedral; still less can I think myself obliged to sit out a tedious sermon, in order to hear what is known already, what is better learnt from books, or suggested by meditation."-They, whose qualifications and habits best supply to themselves all the effect of public The peculiar use of family piety consists in its ordinances, will be the last to prefer this excuse, influence upon servants, and the young members when they advert to the general consequence of of a family, who want sufficient seriousness and setting up such an exemption, as well as when reflection to retire of their own accord to the ex- they consider the turn which is sure to be given ercise of private devotion, and whose attention you in the neighbourhood to their absence from public cannot easily command in public worship. The worship. You stay from church, to employ the example also and authority of a father and master Sabbath at home in exercises and studies suited to act in this way with the greatest force; for his its proper business: your next neighbour stays private prayers, to which his children and servants from church to spend the seventh day less reliare not witnesses, aet not at all upon them as ex-giously than he passed any of the six, in a sleepy, amples; and his attendance upon public worship stupid rest, or at some rendezvous of drunkenness they will readily impute to fashion, to a care to and debauchery, and yet thinks that he is only preserve appearances, to a concern for decency and imitating you, because you both agree in not going character, and to many motives besides a sense of to church. The same consideration should overduty to God. Add to this, that forms of public rule many small scruples concerning the rigorous worship, in proportion as they are more compre- propriety of some things, which may be contained hensive, are always less interesting, than family in the forms, or admitted into the administration, prayers; and that the ardour of devotion is better of the public worship of our communion: for it supported, and the sympathy more easily propaga-seems impossible that even "two or three should ted, through a small assembly, connected by the affections of domestic society, than in the presence of a mixed congregation..

III. Public Worship.

If the worship of God be a duty of religion, public worship is a necessary institution; forasmuch as without it, the greater part of mankind would exercise no religious worship at all.

These assemblies afford also, at the same time, opportunities for moral and religious instruction to those who otherwise would receive none. In all protestant, and in most Christian countries, the elements of natural religion, and the important parts of the Evangelic history, are familiar to the lowest of the people. This competent degree and

be gathered together" in any act of social worship, if each one require from the rest an implicit submission to his objections, and if no man will attend upon a religious service which in any point contradicts his opinion of truth, or falls short of his ideas of perfection.

Beside the direct necessity of public worship to the greater part of every Christian community, (supposing worship at all to be a Christian duty, there are other valuable advantages growing out of the use of religious assemblies, without being designed in the institution or thought of by the individuals who compose them.

1. Joining in prayer and praises to their common Creator and Governor, has a sensible ten

dency to unite mankind together, and to cherish | from which it proceeds. Again, in the Epistle to and enlarge the generous affections. the Hebrews; "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;' which reproof seems as applicable to the desertion of our public worship at this day, as to the forsaking the religious assemblies of Christians in the age of the apostle. Independently of these passages of Scripture, a disciple of Christianity will hardly think himself at liberty to dispute a practice set on foot by the inspired preachers of his religion, coeval with its institution, and retained by every sect into which it has been since divided.

CHAPTER V.

Of Forms of Prayer in Public Worship. LITURGIES, or preconcerted forms of public devotion, being neither enjoined in Scripture, nor forbidden, there can be no good reason for either receiving or rejecting them, but that of expediency; which expediency is to be gathered from a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages attending upon this mode of worship, with those which usually accompany extemporary prayer. The advantages of a liturgy are these:. 1. That it prevents absurd, extravagant, or impious addresses to God, which, in an order of men so numerous as the sacerdotal, the folly and enthusiasm of many must always be in danger of producing, where the conduct of the public worship is entrusted, without restraint or assistance, to the discretion and abilities of the officiating minister.

So many pathetic reflections are awakened by every exercise of social devotion, that most men, I believe, carry away from public worship a better temper towards the rest of mankind, than they brought with them. Sprung from the same extraction, preparing together for the period of all worldly distinctions, reminded of their mutual infirmities and common dependency, imploring and receiving support and supplies from the same great source of power and bounty, having all one interest to secure, one Lord to serve, one judgment, the supreme object to all of their hopes and fears, to look towards; it is hardly possible, in this position, to behold mankind as strangers, competitors, or enemies; or not to regard them as children of the same family, assembled before their common parent, and with some portion of the tenderness which belongs to the most endearing of our domestic relations. It is not to be expected, that any single effect of this kind should be considerable or lasting; but the frequent return of such sentiments as the presence of a devout congregation naturally suggests, will gradually melt down the ruggedness of many unkind passions, and may generate, in time, a permanent and productive benevolence. 2. Assemblies for the purpose of divine worship, placing men under impressions by which they are taught to consider their relation to the Deity, and to contemplate those around them with a view to that relation, force upon their thoughts the natural equality of the human species, and thereby promote humility and condescension in the highest orders of the community, and inspire the lowest with a sense of their rights. The distinctions of civil life are almost always insisted II. That it prevents the confusion of extemupon too much, and urged too far. Whatever, porary prayer, in which the congregation, being therefore, conduces to restore the level, by quali- ignorant of each petition before they hear it, and fying the dispositions which grow out of great having little or no time to join in it after they have elevation or depression of rank, improves the cha-heard it, are confounded between their attention racter on both sides. Now things are made to to the minister, and to their own devotion. The appear little, by being placed beside what is great. devotion of the hearer is necessarily suspended, In which manner, superiorities, that occupy the until a petition be concluded; and before he can whole field of imagination, will vanish or shrink assent to it, or properly adopt it, that is, before he to their proper diminutiveness, when compared can address the same request to God for himself, with the distance by which even the highest of and from himself, his attention is called off to keep men are removed from the Supreme Being; and pace with what succeeds. Add to this, that the this comparison is naturally introduced by all acts mind of the hearer is held in continual expectaof joint worship. If ever the poor man holds up tion, and detained from its proper business, by the his head, it is at church: if ever the rich man very novelty with which it is gratified. A conviews him with respect, it is there: and both will gregation may be pleased and affected with the be the better, and the public profited, the oftener prayers and devotion of their minister, without they meet in a situation, in which the conscious- joining in them; in like manner as an audience ness of dignity in the one is tempered and miti- oftentimes are with the representation of devotion gated, and the spirit of the other erected and con- upon the stage, who, nevertheless, come away firmed. We recommend nothing adverse to sub-without being conscious of having exercised any ordinations which are established and necessary: but then it should be remembered, that subordination itself is an evil, being an evil to the subordinate, who are the majority, and therefore ought not to be carried a tittle beyond what the greater good, the peaceable government of the community, requires.

The public worship of Christians is a duty of Divine appointment. "Where two or three," says Christ, "are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." This invitation will want nothing of the force of a command with those who respect the person and authority

*Matt. xviii. 20.

act of devotion themselves. Joint prayer, which amongst all denominations of Christians is the declared design of "coming together," is prayer in which all join; and not that which one alone in the congregation conceives and delivers, and of which the rest are merely hearers. This objection seems fundamental, and holds even where the minister's office is discharged with every possible advantage and accomplishment. The labouring recollection, and embarrassed or tumultuous delivery, of many extempore speakers, form an additional objection to this mode of public worship: for these imperfections are very general, and give

* Heb. x. 25.