Supplicant, as may qualify him for the Reception of a Favour, which, otherwise, his Maker might not think fit to bestow. When we address the Deity, it becomes us to do it with the most profound Solemnity, Seriousness and Reverence, and the closest Attention, and never suffer our Minds to wander from the Business before us. But many Persons, either from Negligence or constitutional Infirmity, do suffer their Minds to be led away from their Duty, and really offer to their Maker no more than the mere Words of their Mouths, instead of their most devout and hearty Affections. But this is not Prayer; it is only running over a Form of Words, which have no more Efficacy to obtain the Object of our Requests, than if we read our Petitions in the Words of a Language with which we were utterly unacquainted. And this is, in Fact, the Case of a very large Proportion of those in Popish Countries, who read their Prayers couched in the Latin Tongue. But Protestants are better informed. They are taught, that no Prayers can be acceptable to God, which do not come from the Heart; which certainly they cannot do, when they are offered in an unknown Tongue, or when the Supplicants offer only the Words of their Mouths, while their Thoughts are wandering to the Ends of the Earth.

LUKEWARMNESS and INDIFFERENCE, ENTHUSIASM and FANATICISM. Both these tempers are

equally

we owe to all our Fellow Creatures, we ought to exert ourselves, by all honest Means, to promote all Schemes evidently calculated to advance the Glory of God, and the Welfare and Happiness of Society. For it is evident, that if such Endeavours were universal, or even general, the Condition of the World would be improved beyond all Calculation.

But our Zeal should be always accompanied with Prudence. Imprudent Zeal has often done more Hurt than Good. Our Zeal is never more unequivocally laudable, than when it is exerted for the Good of our Neighbour.

"That Zeal is only safe, only acceptable, which increases Charity directly; and because Love to our Neighbour and Obedience to God, are two great Portions of Charity, we must never account our Zeal to be good, but as it advances both these, if it be in a matter that relates to both; or severally, if it relates severally."*.

That the Universe,

TRUST IN PROVIDENCE. the whole Creation of God, is governed by his Providence, is not only the Belief of all Christians, but even of those Deists, who believe in a future State of Retribution. For they believe, that as the Benevolence of the Deity was the Motive, which led Him to create the World, the same Benevolence must have induced Him to govern it, so that

the

*

Bishop J. Taylor.

equally contrasts to that Zeal, which the Gospel approves. The first in Defect, the second in Excess. Those of the former Temper show a faulty. Coldness and Inattention to the Duties of our common Profession, which the Gospel disapproves. Those of the latter, quitting human Reason, and pretending to peculiar Sanctity, and extraordinary Communications of the holy Spirit, have frequently, under a Pretence of a Zeal for God, been guilty of the most extravagant and criminal Conduct. Witness that uncharitable, persecuting Temper, the genuine Offspring of Enthusiasm and Fanaticism, which has at Times been productive of so many Murders, Massacres and Miseries, in past Ages; and which still subsists, notwithstanding the more enlightened State of the World, to the Disgrace, not only of Christianity, but of human Nature. An ardent Desire to propagate our own peculiar private Opinions or Sentiments, has often been mistaken for a true religious Zeal; when, probably, the real Motives have been no better than mere Pride, Ignorance, or Bigotry. For Religion being an Exercise of the Understanding and of the Heart, the Principles and Affections of which are to regulate our Conduct, Nothing can be more wrong, than to injure or oppose another, for acting agreeably to the highest Principles of his Nature.

DISTRUST OF PROVIDENCE. As the World is under the Government of that Great Being, whose Benevolence

the greatest possible Happiness should finally result from the vast and extensive Plan of Providence, which reaches from Eternity to Eternity.

Now we immediately perceive, that in a Scheme so extensive and complicated, of which we know but an infinitely small Part, (indeed of which we may be said to know Nothing;) there must occur a thousand Appearances, which we cannot reconcile to our narrow Notions of the Divine Wisdom and Benevolence. But as we daily see numerous Instances, in the Course of Things, that show Benevolence, though mixed with others that have the Appearance of Severity, we may safely conclude, from the acknowledged Character of the Deity, that those Instances of Severity are necessary, in Order to procure the greatest possible Sum of Happiness to the Whole. How this can be, indeed, we no more know, than how Creation was performed, which, nevertheless, we firmly believe. And although, in the course of Providence, the Virtuous sometimes suffer Pain, and the Vicious enjoy Happiness, in the present State; yet we must remember, that this is a State of Probation, (and that this Order of Things contributes to make it such,) and not a State of Retribution. But that in a future one, every Inequality will be adjusted, and suffering Virtue be fully and completely compensated. We ought, then, to submit, devoutly and patiently, to the Dispensations of Providence, under which we

may

Benevolence induced Him to create it, we know that it must be administered with perfect and consummate Wisdom, Justice and Goodness. This Consideration should teach us that all Murmuring and Repining at its Dispensations is highly criminal; that however dark and disconsolate, however gloomy and even wrong, the Course of Events may sometimes appear to our ignorant and discontented Minds, yet that we should never lose Sight of that great Truth, that the "Judge of all the Earth will do right;" that all His Doings are not only wise and good, but wisest and best, and that all our Objections to the Rectitude of the Divine Administrations, arise from our Ignorance or Perverseness. The World is governed by general Laws, and as Men live in Society, it must be, that when one Man suffers for his Vices, his innocent Family and near Connexions, how virtuous soever they may be, must suffer with him. It is the Order of Nature, and unavoidable; and all Attempts to change this Course of Things are dangerous, and injurious to the Security and Happiness of Society, as a little Reflection will demonstrate. For Example, when an unprincipled, ambitious Tyrant oppresses his Subjects, or without any Provocation, invades the Territory of his unoffending Neighbours, and carries Fire and Sword, Devastation and Ruin through the World, a benevolent Mind might be induced to ap

prove