doctrine. For to keep a truth out of sight human heart to form so unfounded an expec because it has been absurdly handled or ill- tation. But Christians must have no fault defended, might in time be assigned as a rea- in their principle; their views must be corson for keeping back, one by one, every doc-rect, their proposed scheme must be faulttrine of our holy church; for which of them less; their intention must be single: their has not occasionally had imprudent advocates standard must be lofty; their object must be or weak champions?

right; their mark must be the high calling Be it remembered that the doctrine in of God in Christ Jesus.'-There must be question is not only interwoven by allusion, no allowed evil, no warranted defection, as implication, or direct assertion throughout tolerated impurity, no habitual irregularity. the whole scripture, but that it stands prom- Though they do not rise as high as they ought inently personified at the opening of the nor as they wish, in the scale of perfection, New as well as the Old Testament. The yet the scale itself must be correct, and the devil's temptation of our Lord, in which he desire of ascending perpetual; counting is not represented figuratively, but visibly nothing_done while any thing remains unand palpably, stands exactly on the same done. Every grace must be kept in exerground of authority with other events which cise; conquests once made over an evil proare received without repugnance. And it pensity must not only be maintained but exmay not be an unuseful observation to re- tended. And in truth Christianity so commark, that the very refusing to believe in an prizes contrary, and as it may be thought evil spirit, may be considered as one of his irreconcileable excellencies, that those own suggestions; for there is not a more which seem so incompatible as to be incapadangerous illusion than to believe ourselves ble by nature of being inmates of the same out of the reach of illusions, nor a more breast, are almost necessarily involved in the alarming temptation than to fancy that we Christian character. are not liable to be tempted.

But the dark cloud raised by this doctrine will be dispelled by the cheering certainty that our blessed Saviour having himself been tempted like as we are, is able to deliver those who are tempted.'

To return. From this imperfect sketch we may see how suitable the religion of Christ is to fallen man! How exactly it meets every want! No one needs now perish because he is a sinner, provided he be willing to forsake his sins; for Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;' and He is now exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sin.' Which passage, be it observed, may be considered as pointing out to us the order in which he bestows his blessings; he gives first repentance, and then forgive

ness.

For instance; Christianity requires that our faith be at once fervent and sober; that our love be both ardent and lasting; that our patience be not only heroic but gentle; she demands dauntless zeal and genuine humility; active services and complete self-renunciation; high attainments in goodness, with deep consciousness of defect; courage in reproving, and meekness in bearing reproof; a quick preception of what is sinful; with a willingness to forgive the offender; active virtue ready to do all, and passive virtue ready to bear all. We must stretch every faculty in the service of our Lord, and yet bring every thought into obedience to Him: while we aim to live in the exercise of every Christian grace, we must account ourselves unprofitable servants: we must strive for the crown, yet receive it as a gift, and then lay it at our master's feet: while we are busily We may likewise see how much the char- trading in the world with our Lord's talents, acter of a true Christian rises above every we must commune with our hearts, and be other; that there is a wholeness, an integri- still:' while we strive to practise the purest ty, a completeness in the Christian charac- disinterestedness, we must be contented ter, that a few natural, pleasing qualities, though we meet with selfishness in return; not cast in the mould of the Gospel, are but and while laying out our lives for the good of as beautiful fragments, or well-turned sin- mankind, we must submit to reproach withgle limbs, which for want of that beauty out murmuring, and to ingratitude without which arises from the proportion of parts, resentment And to render us equal to all for want of that connexion of the members these services, Christianity bestows not only with the living head, are of little compara- the precepts, but the power; she does what tive excellence. There may be amiable the great poet of Ethics lamented that reason qualities which are not Christian graces; could not do, she lends us arms as well as and the apostle, after enumerating every sep- rules.' arate article of attack or defence with which a Christian warrior is to be accoutred, sums up the matter by directing that we put on the whole armour of God.' And this completeness is insisted on by all the apostles. One prays that his converts may stand perfect and complete in the whole will of God;' another enjoins that they be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.'

Now we are not to suppose that they expected any convert to be without faults; they knew too well the constitution of the

For here, if not only the worldly and the timid, but the humble and the well-disposed, should demand with fear and trembling. Who is sufficient for these things? Revelation makes its own reviving answer, My grace is sufficient for thee.'

It will be well here to distinguish that there are two sorts of Christian_professors, one of which affect to speak of Christianity as if it were a mere system of doctrines, with little reference to their influence on life and manners; while the other consider it as ex

hibiting a scene of human duties indepen- gan morality for Christian holiness: and, on dent on its doctrines. For though the latter the other, of securing the leading doctrine of sort may admit the doctrines, yet they con- justification by faith, from the dreadful dantemplate them as a separate and disconnect-ger of Antinomian licentiousnes; every hued set of opinions, rather than as an influen-inan obligation being thus grafted on the livtial principle of action. In violation of that ing stock of a divine principle.

CHAP. XXI.

On the duty and efficacy of Prayer.

beautiful harmony which subsists in every part of Scripture between practice and belief, the religious world furnishes two sorts of people who seem to enlist themselves, as if in opposition, under the banner of Saint Paul and Saint James; as if those two great champions of the Christian cause had fought It is not proposed to enter largely on a topfor two masters. Those who affect respect-ic which has been exhausted by the ablest ively to be the disciples of each, treat faith and works as if they were opposite interests, instead of inseparable points. Nay, they go farther, and set Saint Paul at variance with himself.

pens. But as a work of this nature seems to require that so important a subject should not be overlooked, it is intended to notice in a slight manner a few of those many difficulties and popular objections which are brought forward against the use and efficacy of prayer, even by those who would be unwilling to be suspected of impiety and unbelief.

Now instead of reasoning on the point, let us refer to the apostle in question, who himself definitely settles the dispute. The apostolic order and method in this respect de- There is a class of objectors who strangeserves notice and imitation: for it is obser- ly profess to withhold homage from the Most vable that the earlier parts of most of the High, not out of contempt but reverence. epistles abound in the doctrines of Christian- They affect to consider the use of prayer as ity, while those latter chapters, which wind derogatory from the omniscience of God, asup the subject, exhibit all the duties which serting that it looks as if we thought he stood grow out of them, as the natural and neces-in need of being informed of our wants; and sary productions of such a living root.* But as derogatory from his goodness, as implying this alternate mention of doctrine and prac- that he needs to be put in mind of them. tice, which seemed likely to unite, has on the But is it not enough for such poor frail contrary formed a sort of line of separation beings as we are to know, that God himself between these two orders of believers, and does not consider prayer as derogatory either introduced a broken and mutilated system. to his wisdom or goodness? And shall we Those who would make Christianity consist erect ourselves into judges of what is conof doctrines only, dwell for instance, on the sistent with the attributes of Him before first eleven chapters of the Epistle to the whom angels fall prostrate with self-abaseRomans, as containing exclusively the sum ment? Will he thank such defenders of his and substance of the gospel While the attributes, who, while they profess to revemere moralists, who wish to strip Christiani- rence, scruple not to disobey him? It ought ty of her lofty and appropriate attributes, rather to be viewed as a great encouragedelight to dwell on the twelfth chapter, which ment to prayer, that we are addressing a is a table of duties, as exclusively as if the Being, who knows our wants better than we preceding chapters made no part of the sacan express them, and whose preventing cred Canon. But Saint Paul himself, who goodness is always ready to relieve them. was at least as sound a theologian as any of Prayer seems to unite the different attributes his commentators, settles the matter another of the Almighty for if he is indeed the God way, by making the duties of the twelfth that heareth prayer, that is the best reason grow out of the doctrines of the antecedent why to him all flesh should come.' eleven, just as any other consequence grows It is objected by another class, and on the out of its cause. And as if he suspected that specious ground of humility too, though we the indivisible union between them might do not always find the objector himself quite possibly be overlooked, he links the two dis-as humble as his plea would be thought, that tinct divisions together by a logical there- it is arrogant in such insignificant beings as fore,' with which the twelfth begins: I beseech you therefore,' (that is, as the effect of all I have been inculcating,) that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable to God,' &c. and then goes on to enforce on them, as a consequence of what he had been preaching, the practice of every christian virtue. This combined view of the subject seems on the one hand, to be the only means of preventing the substitution of Pa

-

* This is the language of our church, as may be seen in her 12th article; viz.

Good works do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith; insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discern ed by its fruit.

we are to presume to lay our petty necessities before the Great and Glorious God, who cannot be expected to condescend to the multitude of trifling and even interfering requests which are brought before him by his creatures. These and such like objections arise from mean and unworthy thoughts of the Great Creator. It seems as if those who make them considered the Most High as such an one as themselves;' a Being, business, but who would be overpowered who can perform a certain given quantity of with an additional quantity. Or, at best, is it not considering the Almighty in the light, not of an infinite God, but of a great man, of a minister, or a king, who, while he su

change Him: that events themselves being settled in a fixed and unalterable course, and bound in a fatal necessity, it is folly to think that we can disturb the established laws of the universe, or interrupt the course of Providence by our prayers: and that it absurd to suppose these firm decrees can be reversed by any requests of ours.

perintends public and nation concerns, is is immutable, no petitions of ours can ever obliged to neglect small and individual petitions, because his hands being full he cannot spare that leisure and attention which suffice for every thing? They do not consider him as that infinitely glorions being, who while he beholds at once all that is doing in heaven and in earth, is at the same time as attentive to the prayer of the poor destitute, as present to the sorrowful sighing of the prisoner, as if each of these forlorn creatures were individually the object of his undivided attention.

These critics, who are for sparing the Supreme Being the trouble of our prayers, and, if I may so speak without profaneness, would relieve Omnipotence of part of his burden, by assigning to his care only such a portion as may be more easily managed, seem to have no adequate conception of his

attributes.

They forget that infinite wisdom puts him as easily within reach of all knowledge, as infinite power does of all performance; that he is a Being in whose plans complexity makes no difficulty, variety no obstruction, and multiplicity no confusion; that to ubiquity distance does not exist; that to infinity space is annihilated; that past, present, and future, are discerned more accurately at one glance of his eye, to whom a thousand years are as one day, than a single moment of time or a single point of space can be by

ours.

6

Without entering into the wide and track less field of fate and free will, from which pursuit I am kept back equally by the most profound ignorance and the most invincible dislike, I would only observe, that these objections apply equally to all human actions a well as to prayer It may therefore with the same propriety be urged, that seeing God i immutable and his decrees unalterable, there fore our actions can produce no change in Him or in our own state. Weak as well a impious reasoning! It may be questioned whether even the modern French and Ger man philosophers may not be prevailed upon to acknowledge the existence of God, if they might make such a use of his attributes. The truth is (and it is a truth discoverable without any depth of learning) all these objections are the offspring of pride. Poor, short-sight ed man cannot reconcile the omniscience and decrees of God with the efficacy of prayer and because he cannot reconcile them, be modestly concludes they are irreconcileable. How much more wisdom, as well as happi ness, results from an humble Christian spirit! To the other part of the objection, found- Such a plain practical text as, Draw near ed on the supposed interference (that is ir unto God, and he will draw near unto you,' reconcilableness) of one man's petitions with carries more consolation, more true knowthose of another, this answer seems to sug-ledge of his wants and their remedy to the gest itself: first, that we must take care that when we ask, we do not ask amiss; that for instance, we ask chiefly, and in an unqualified manner, only for spiritual blessings to ourselves and others; and in doing this the prayer of one man cannot interfere with that of another, because no proportion of sanctity or virtue implored by one obstructs the same attainments in another. Next in asking for temporal and inferior blessings. we must qualify our petition, even though it should extend to deliverance from the severest pains, or to our very life itself, according to that example of our Saviour: All the doubts proposed to him respecting Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass God, do not so much affect him as this one from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but doubt respecting himself: If I regard in thine, be done.' By thus qualifying our quity in my heart, the Lord will not hear praver, we exercise ourselves in an act of me. For the chief doubt and difficulty of a resignation to God: we profess not to wish what will interfere with his benevolent plan, and yet we may hope by prayer to secure the blessing so far as it is consistent with it. Perhaps the reason why this objection to prayer is so strongly felt, is the too great disposition to pray for merely temporal and worldly blessings, and to desire them in the he offers up.

beart of a penitent sinner, than all the 'tomes of casuistry,' which have puzzled the world ever since the question was first set afloat by its original propounders.

and

And as the plain man only got up walked, to prove there was such a thing us motion. in answer to the philosopher who in an elaborate theory denied it: so the plain Christian, when he is borne down with the assurance that there is no efficacy in prayer, requires no better argument to repel the as sertion, than the good he finds in prayer itself.

real Christian consists, not so much in a dis trust of God's ability and willingness to an swer the prayer of the upright, as in a dietrust of his own uprightness, as in a doubt whether he himself belongs to that descrip tion of persons to whom the promises are made, and of the quality of the prayer which

most unqualified manner, not submitting to Let the subjects of a dark fate maintain a be without them, even though the granting sullen, or the slaves of a blind chance & them should be inconsistent with the general plan of Providence.

Another class continue to bring forward, as pertinaciously as if it had never been answered, the exhausted argument, that seeing God

hopeless silence, but let the child of a com passionate Almighty Father supplicate Hi mercies with a humble confidence, inspired by the assurance, that the very hairs of bi head are numbered." Let him take comfort

in that individual and minute attention, with- promise were not, as it always is, attached to out which not a sparrow falls to the ground, the command. But in this case, to our unas well as in that heart-cheering promise; speakable comfort, the promise is as clear as that, as the eyes of the Lord are over the the precept: Ask, and ye shall receiverighteous, so are his ears open to their Seek, and ye shall find-Knock, and it shall prayers.' And as a pious bishop has observ- be opened unto you.' This is encourageed,Our Saviour has as it were hedged in ment enough for the plain Christian. As to and inclosed the Lord's prayer with these the manner in which prayer is made to cointwo great fences of our faith, God's willing- cide with the general scheme of God's plan ness and bis power to help us :' the preface in the government of human affairs; how to it assures us of the one, which by calling God has left himself at liberty to reconcile God by the tender name of Our Father, our prayer with his own predetermined will, intimates his readiness to help his children: the Christian does not very critically examand the animating conclusion, Thine is the ine, his precise and immediate duty being to pinner,' rescues us from every unbelieving pray, and not to examine; and probably this doubt of his ability to help us. being among the secret things which belong to God,' and not to us, it will lie hidden among those numberless mysteries which we shall not fully understand till faith be lost in sight.

A Christian knows, because he feels, that prayer is though in a way to him inscrutable, the medium of connexion between God and his rational creatures: the means appointed by him to draw down his blessings upon us. The Christian knows that prayer is the appointed means of uniting two ideas, one of the highest magnificence, the other of the most profound lowliness, within the compass of imagination; namely, that it is the link of communication between the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity,' and that heart of the contrite in which he delights to dwell.' He knows that this inexplicable union between beings so unspeakably, so essentially different, can only be maintained by prayer; that this is the strong but secret chain which unites time with eternity, earth with heaven, man with God.

6

In the meantime it is enough for the humble believer to be assured, that the Judge of all the earth is doing right; it is enough for him to be assured in that word of God which cannot lie,' of numberless actual instances of the efficacy of prayer in obtaining blessings and averting calamities, both national and individual: it is enough for him to be convinced experimentally, by that internal evidence, which is perhaps paramount to all other evidence, the comfort he himself has received from prayer when all other comforts have failed:-and above all to end with the same motive with which we began, the only motive indeed which he requires for the performance of any duty-it is motive enough for him-that thus saith the Lord. For when a serious Christian has once got a plain unequivocal command from his Maker on any point, he never suspends his obedience while he is amusing himself with looking about for subordinate motives of action. Instead of curiously analysing the nature of the duty, he considers how he shall best fulfil it for on these points at least it may be said without controversy that the ignorant (and here who is not ignorant?) have nothing to do with the law but to obey it.

The plain Christian, as was before observed, cannot explain why it is so; but while he feels the efficacy, he is content to let the learned define it; and he will no more postpone prayer till he can produce a chain of reasoning on the manner in which he derives benefit from it, than he will postpone eating till he can give a scientific lecture on the nature of digestion; he is contented with knowing that his meat has nourished him; and he leaves to the philosopher, who may choose to defer his meal till he has elaborated his treatise, to starve in the interim. The Christian feels better than he is able to ex- Others there are, who, perhaps not contro. plain, that the functions of his spiritual life verting any of the premises, yet neglect to can no more be carried on without habitual build practical consequences on the admis prayer, than those of his natural life without sion of them, who neither denying the duty frequent bodily nourishment. He feels ren-nor the efficacy of prayer, yet go on to live ovation and strength grow out of the use of either in the irregular observance or the tothe appointed means, as necessarily in the tal neglect of it, as appetite, or pleasure, or one case as in the other. He feels that the health of his soul can no more be sustained, and its powers kept in continued vigour, by the prayers of a distant day, than his body by the aliment of a distant day.

business, or humour, may happen to predom inate; and who by living almost without prayer, may be sai to live almost without God in the world. To such we can only say, that they little know what they lose.The time is hastening on when they will look upon those blessings as invaluable, which now they think not worth asking for; when they will bitterly regret the absence of those means and opportunities which now they either neglect or despise. O that they were wise! that they understood this! that they would consider their latter end!'

But there is one motive to the duty in question, far more constraining to the true believer than all others that can be named; more imperious than any argument on its utility, than any convictions of its efficacy, even than any experience of its consolations. Prayer is the command of God; the plain, positive, repeated injunction of the Most High, who declares, He will be in- There are again others, who it is to be quired of. This is enough to secure the feared having once lived in the habit of prayhedience of the Christian, even though a ler, yet not having been well grounded in

.

those principles of faith and repentance on 'design, none have been seized upon with which genuine prayer is built, have by de- more avidity by such persons than the pointgrees totally discontinued it. They do not ed censures of our Saviour on those who find,' say they, that their affairs prosper the for a pretence make long prayers;' as well better or the worse; or perhaps they were as on those who use vain repetitions, and unsucces-ful in their affairs even before they think they shall be heard for much speak dropped the practice, and so had no encouring. Now the things here intended to be agement to go on.' They do not know that reproved, were the hypocrisy of the Pharithey had no encouragement; they do not sees and the ignorance of the heathen, to know how much worse their affairs might gether with the error of all those who de have gone on, had they discontinued it soon-pended on the success of their prayers, while er, or how their prayers helped to retard they imitated the deceit of the one or the their ruin. Or they do not know that per- folly of the other. But our Saviour Bever haps they asked amiss,' or that if they had meant those severe reprehensions should obtained what they asked, they might have cool or abridge the devotion of pious Chriebeen far more unhappy. For a true believer tians, to which they do not at all apply. never restrains prayer' because he is not certain he obtains every individual request; for he is persuaded that God, in compassion to our ignorance, sometimes in great mercy withholds what we desire, and often disappoints his most favoured children by giving them, not what they ask, but what he knows is really good for them. The froward child, as a pious prelate observes, cries for the shining blade, which the tender parent withholds, knowing it would cut his fingers.

More or fewer words, however, so little constitute the true value of prayer, that there is no doubt but one of the most affecting spe cimens on record is the short petition of the Publican; full fraught as it is with that spir it of contrition and self-abasement which is the very principle and soul of prayer. And this specimen perhaps is the best model for that sudden lifting up of the heart, which wa call ejaculation. But I doubt, in general, whether those few hasty words to which these Thus to persevere when we have not the frugal petitioners would stint the scanty de encouragement of visible success, is an evi-votions of others and themselves, will be al dence of tried faith. Of this holy persever- ways found ample enough to satisfy the ham ance Job was a noble instance. Defeat and ble penitent, who, being a sinner, has much disappointment rather stimulated than stop- to confess; who, hoping he is a pardoned ped his prayers. Though in a vehement sinner, has much to acknowledge. Such an strain of passionate eloquence he exclaims, one perhaps cannot always pour out the fullI cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; ness of his soul within the prescribed abridg I cry aloud, but there is no judgment,' yet ments Even the sincerest Christian, when so persuaded was he, notwithstanding, of the he wishes to find his heart warm, has often duty of continuing this holy importunity, to lament its coldness. Though he feel that that he persisted against all human hope, till he has received much, and has therefore he attained to that exalted pitch of unsha- much to be thankful for, yet he is not able ken faith, by which he was enabled to break at once to bring his way ward spirit into such out into that sublime apostrophe, Though a posture as shall fit it for the solemn busihe slay me, yet I will trust in him.' ness; for such an one has not merely his form to repeat; but he has his tempers to reduce to order; his affections to excite, and his peace to make. His thoughts may be realizing the sarcasm of the prophet on the idol Baal, they may be gone a journey, and must be recalled; his heart perhaps sleepeth and must be awaked.' A devout supplicant too will labour to affect and warm his mind with a sense of the great and gracious attributes of God, in imitation of the Like Jehosophat, he will sometimes enumerate the power, and the might, and the mercies of the Most High,' in order to stir up the sentiments of awe, and gratitude, and love, and humility in his ow soul* He will labour to imitate the example of his Saviour, whose heart dilated with the expression of the same holy affections. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.' A heart thus animated, thus warmed with divine love, cannot always scrupulously limit itself to the mere businert of prayer, if I may so speak. It cannot coll tent itself with merely spreading out its own necessities, but expands in contemplating the perfections of Him to whom he is ad

6

But may we not say that there is a consid erable class, who not only bring none of the objections which we have stated against the use of prayer; who are so far from rejecting, that they are exact and regular in the performance of it; who yet take it up on as low ground as is consistent with their ideas of their own safety; who while they consider prayer as an indispensable form, believe nothing of that change of heart and of those holy tempers which it is intended to pro- holy men of old duce? Many who yet adhere scrupulously to the letter, are so far from entering into the spirit of this duty, that they are strongly inclined to suspect those of hypocrisy who adopt the true scriptural views of prayer. Nay, as even the Bible may be so wrested as to be made to speak almost any language in support of almost any opinion, these persons lay hold on Scripture itself to bear them out in their own slight views of this duty; and they profess to borrow from thence the ground of that censure which they cast on the more serious Christians. Among the many passages which have been made to convey a meaning foreign to their original

Bishop Hall.

* 2 Chron. xv. 5, 6