For the gospel affures us, that God is in Chrift reconciling the world unto himSelf, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them; 2 Cor.V. 19. We have an advocate with the father, Jefus Chrift the righteous: and whatfoever we afk the Father in his name, he will give it us: 1 John II. 1. compared with John XVI. 23. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, who is paffed into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God; let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 3. It is objected, that prayer is vain and unprofitable, because of the immutability of the divine counfels. God is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his foul defireth, even that he doth. So that neither if we pray, are we the better; neither if we pray not, are we the worfe: for God hath before determined what he will do, and he will execute his own purposes, whether we pray or whether we forbear. It is granted, that the decrees of God are unchangeable. But how do these men know that God doth decree every thing which comes to pafs? or that thofe things which he hath decreed he hath . hath decreed from eternity? "Tis certain that he hath not decreed every thing which comes to pafs: for he never decreed the fins of men; and whether he hath decreed any thing from eternity, will bear difpute. But tho we should allow that God hath decreed all future events from eternity, which yet is a monftrous fuppofition; even then it will not follow that prayer is vain and infignificant. For what if God hath decreed a thing; yet so long as the decree is unknown to us, there is as much room for prayer as if there was no decree at all. Indeed, did we certainly know that God had decreed that any evil fhould befal us, we should be guilty of a great abfurdity if we should pray against it; because then we should be fure that we could not escape it. But whilft we are ignorant of this, there is no abfurdity in praying against it, because the thing is doubtful and uncertain; and there is as much room to hope that our prayer may be confonant to the decree, and be answer ed, as to fear that it will be diffonant to it, and be rejected. Befides, we ought never to argue from things difficult and obfcure, against things which are plain I 3 and and clear. Secret things belong to God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us. God knows beft what he hath decreed; but we know as well what he hath commanded. Prayer is an ordinance of his own inftitution: and therefore we may depend upon it, that there is nothing in the nature of it which is oppofite to his own attributes and perfections. He may be immutable in his counfels, and yet prayer be very ufeful and advantageous. For the defign of it, as was observed before, is not to turn God, or produce any change in his counfels; but only to move and affect our own fouls, to excite our paffions, and prepare and dispose us for the receiving of his mercies. 4. Wicked men raise an objection against prayer from those texts of scripture which declare God's hatred and deteftation of their fervices. Prov. XV. 8. The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Chap. XXI. 27. The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? Chap. XXVIII. He that turneth away his ear from bearing the law; even his prayer shall be abomination. John IX. John IX. 31. We know 9. that that God heareth not finners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him be heareth. But thefe texts must be understood only of harden'd and impenitent finners, and fuch as are refolved to continue in a wicked courfe': for as for those who are truly forry for their fins, and heartily repent of them, and endeavour to reform their lives; the fcripture gives them all poffible affurance of the divine favour and compaffion. Prov. XXVIII. 13. He that covereth his fins fhall not profper; but whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them, Shall have mercy. Ifa. LV. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Ceafe to do evil, and learn to do well; and then your prayer will no longer be an abomination. The more wicked you have been, the more reafon you have to pray, because you ftand the more in need of pardon and forgivenefs. When Simon Magus had been guilty of fo foul a crime as that of offering money for the obtaining of the Holy Ghoft, Peter, after he had sharply reproved him, exhorted him to reI 4 pent pent of his wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him; Acts VIII. 22, III. I will conclude this difcourfe with an exhortation to prayer. 1. I will exhort you to prayer from the confideration of the usefulness and advantages of it. Let it be granted that it is not religion itfelf; yet it is an excellent means of religion. It infpires us with high and reverend thoughts of the deity; and it begets in us humility, and a becoming diffidence of ourfelves. It is a fure guard against temptation; therefore our Saviour recommends it to his dif ciples, together with watchfulness; Matt. XXVI. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. It fecures an almighty aid; it engages God for our friend: and if God be for us, who can be against us? greater is he that is in believers than he that is in the world. It strengthens and fortifies good resolutions it purifies and cleanfes the foul from vicious and fenfual inclinations: it takes off the affections from worldly enjoyments and fixes them upon God and heavenly things; it delivers from anxiety and follicitude of mind: it calms and |