we perform, the Preparation of the Heart is from the Lerd. And that Faith, which is the Fountain of all Actions truly good, is not of ourselves, it is the Gift of God. But he giveth liberally to all, who afk him: and therefore no one hath Caufe of Complaint.

It is true, we are feldom able to diftinguish this heavenly Influence from the natural Workings of our own Minds: as indeed we are often influenced one by another without perceiving it. But the Affurance, given in Scripture, of its being vouchfafed to us, is abundantly fufficient: to which, Experience alfo would add ftrong Confirmation, did we but attend with due Seriousness to what paffes within our Breasts.

Our natural Freedom of Will is no more impaired by these secret Admonitions of our Maker, than by the open Perfuafions of our Fellow-Creatures. And the

Advantage of having God's Help, far from making it unneceffary to help ourselves, obliges us to it peculiarly. We are therefore to work out our own Salvation, becaufe He worketh in us both to will and to dos. For it is a great Aggravation of every Sin, that, in committing it, we quench the pious Motions excited by the Spirit of God in our Hearts: and a great Incitement to our Endeavours of performing every Duty, that with fuch Aid we may be fure of Succefs. Our own natural Strength cannot increafe, as Temptations and Difficulties do but that, which we receive from Heaven, can. And thus it is, that we learn Courage and Humility at once; by knowing, that we can do all Things, but only through Chrift which firengtheneth us"; and therefore not we, but the Grace of God, which is with

us w.

This Grace therefore being of fuch us, our Catechifm, with great Reafon, all Times to call for it by diligent Prayer.

Importance to directs us at For our hea

* James i. 5. u Phil. iv. 13.

venly

venly Father hath not promifed, nor can we hope, that He will give the Holy Spirit to them who proudly difdain, or negligently omit, to afk Him *. And hence

it becomes peculiarly neceffary, that we fhould underftand how to pray to Him: a Duty mentioned in the former Part of the Catechifm, but referved to be explained more fully in this.

God having bestowed on us the Knowledge, in fome Meafure, of what He is in Himfelf, and more especially of what He is to us; we are doubtlefs bound to be fuitably affected by it: and to keep alive in our Minds, with the utmoft Care, due Sentiments of our continual Dependance on Him, of Reverence and Submiffion to his Will, of Love and Gratitude for his Goodness, of Humility and Sorrow for all our Sins against Him; and earnest Defire, that his Mercy and Favour may be fhewn, in fuch Manner as He fhall think fit, to us and to all our Fellow-Creatures.

Now, if thefe Sentiments ought to be felt, they ought also to be fome Way expreffed: not only that others may fee we have them, and be excited to them by our Example: but that we ourselves may receive both the Comfort and the Improvement, which muft naturally flow from exercifing fuch valuable Affections. And unquestionably the moft lively and moft refpectful Manner of exercising them is, that we direct them to Him who is the Object of them; and pour out our Hearts before Him in fuitable Acts of Homage, Thanksgiving, and Confeffion; in humble Petitions for ourselves, and Interceffions for all Mankind. Not that God is ignorant, till we inform Him, either of our outward Circumftances, or the inward Temper of our Hearts. If He were, our Prayers would give Him but very imperfect Knowledge of either; for we are greatly ignorant of both ourselves. But the Defign of Prayer is, to bring our own Minds into a right Frame;

द

* Luke xi. 13.

L 6

and

and fo make ourselves fit for thofe Bleffings, for which we are very unfit, while we are too vain or too careless to afk them of God.

The very Act of Prayer therefore will do us Good, if we pray with Attention, elfe it is Nothing; and with Sincerity, elfe it is worfe than Nothing. And the Confequences of praying, God hath promised, fhall be further Good. All Things whatsoever ye shall afk in Prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Not abfolutely all Things whatfoever we defire: for fome of our Defires may be on feveral Accounts unfit, and fome would prove extremely hurtful to us. Therefore we ought to confider well what we pray for: and especially in all temporal Matters refer ourselves wholly to God's good Pleasure. Nor doth He always grant immediately what He defigns to grant, and hath given us the fullest Right to afk: but delays it perhaps a while to exercise our Patience and Truft in Him: for which Reafon our Saviour directs us always to pray, and not to faint. But whatever is really good, He will undoubtedly, as foon as it is really neceffary, give us upon our Requeft: provided further, that with our earnest Petitions we join our honeft Endeavours: for Prayer was never defigned to serve inftead of Diligence, but to affift it. And therefore, if in our temporal Affairs we are idle or inconfi derate, we muft not expect that our Prayers will bring us good Succefs: and if, in our fpiritual ones, we wilfully or thoughtlessly neglect ourselves; we muft not imagine, that God will amend us against our Wills, or whilst we continue fupinely indifferent. But let us do our Duty to the beft of our Power, at the fame Time that we pray for his Bleffing: and we may be assured, that Nothing but an injurious Difbelief can prevent our obtaining it on which Account St. James requires, that we afk in Faith, nothing wavering *.

7 Matth. xxi, 22.

? Luke xviii. H

* Jam, i, 6.

Indeed,

Indeed, without the Encouragement given us in Scripture, it might well be with fome Diffidence, and it fhould ftill be with the utmoft Reverence, that we take upon us to speak unto the Lord, who are but Duft and Afbes. The Heathens therefore addrefled their Prayers to imaginary Deities of an inferior Rank, as judging themselves unworthy to approach the fupreme One. But our Rule is, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only halt thou ferve. The affected Humility of worshipping even Angels, and therefore much more Saints, (who, if really fuch, are yet lower than Angels ) may, as we are taught, beguile us of our Reward: whereas we may come boldly to the Throne of our Maker's Grace, though not in our own Right, yet through the Mediator whom he hath appointed: and who hath both procured us the Privilege; and inftructed us how to ufe it, by delivering to us a Prayer of his own Compofition; which might be at once a Form for us frequently to repeat, and a Pattern for us always to imitate.

That the Lord's Prayer was defigned as a Form, appears from his own Words: After this Manner tray ye; or, tranflating more literally, Thus pray ye; and, which is yet more exprefs, When ye pray, fay, Our Father &c. Befides it was given by Him to his Difciples on their Request, that He would teach them to pray, as John also taught his Difciples: which undoubtedly was, as the great Rabbis amongst the Jews commonly taught theirs, by a Form. And accordingly this Prayer hath been confidered and used as fuch, from the earlieft Ages of Christianity down to the prefent.

Yet our Saviour's Defign was not, that this fhould. be the only Prayer of Chriftians: as appears both from the Precepts and the Practice of the Apoftles, as well as from the Nature and Reafon of the Thing. But

when it is not used as a Form, it is however of unfpeakable Advantage as a Model. He propofes it indeed more particularly as an Example of Shortnefs. Not that we are never to make longer Prayers: for He himself continued all Night in Prayer to God: and we have a much longer, made by the Apoftles, in the fourth Chapter of the Acts. But his Intention was, to teach by this Inftance, that we are not to affect unmeaning Repetitions, or any needlefs Multiplicity of Words, as if we thought that we should be heard for our much Speaking. And not only in this Refpect, but every other, is our Lord's Prayer an admirable Inftitution and Direction for praying aright: as will abundantly appear, when the feveral Parts of it come to be diftinctly explained. But tho' fuch Explanation will fhew, both the Pyrport and the Excellency of it,. more fully; yet they are to every Eye vifible in the Main, without any Explanation at all And therefore. let us conclude at prefent with devoutly offering it up to God.

Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this Day our daily Bread.. And forgive us our Trefpaffes, as we forgive them that trefpafs against us. And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Luke vi. 12.

• Matth. vi. 7.

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LEC