The truth indeed is this; both these extremes are bad, both difqualify us from being worthy repeaters of this petition, and cut off thofe hopes which we otherwise might reasonably entertain of offering it up with fuccefs.

The extravagant man is guilty of prefumption, in daring to depend upon a continuance of those bleffings which he continually abufes ; and the covetous man, whilft he is fearful of ufing what he hath least he should come to want, is guilty of that diftrust in Providence, which is contrary to the defign, and destructive of the foundation of this petition. In a word, those who fhew themselves unworthy of poffeffing what they have, fhew themselves unworthy alfo of obtaining what they ask.

The next thing neceffary to render this petition fuccefsful, is moderation in our requefts. A great privilege it is, a real blefP 3 fing,

fing, that God commands us to offer up, and promifes to receive, our prayers; but great and ungrateful infolence furely it is in us, if we abufe that privilege, if we presume upon that promife fo far as to afk more than God hath given us warrant to expect.

Though the goodness of the divine nature is fuch, that he is willing to overlook our infirmities, and put our fins far from us, tho' he hath graciously promised to listen to our petitions, and grant our requests, yet this promife is made to us not abfolutely, but still at the difcretion of his perfect wifdom; and greatly indeed is it to be feared, that if men were certainly to obtain what they prayed for, the efficacy of prayer would by the folly of man be turned into a curfe, inftead of proving a bleffing.

Would men rightly confider, whereas indeed great numbers of them never confider at all, they would easily fee that prayer was never defigned as a means of gratifying ambiti

on,

on, avarice, or fenfuality; but of obtaining thofe real neceffaries, those material conveniencies, thofe folid comforts, from an allfuftaining Providence, which nature requires, and could not be happy without. The real wants, nay, and the reasonable comforts of man lye within a very small compass.

Hurried on by mad paffions indeed, and forming vaft and vifionary fchemes, we multiply, we aggravate our wants, and of one real create a thousand imaginary neceffities; whereas Nature in herself, that is, Nature fupported and directed by Reafon, is contented with a little, and doth not require a great deal to give her that happiness which fhe is capable of in her present state.

We deceive ourselves therefore, if we imagine that this petition gives us an unbounded right of asking, in the extravagance of our hearts, for the delicacies and fuperfluities of life; all that our Saviour warrants is our petitioning for the neceffaries and conve

niencies

niencies of it; for our daily bread, and that from day to day.

But after all, after we have worked ourfelves up to a proper pitch of confidence in the Providence of God, made a proper use of thofe good things which he hath already bleft us with, and regulated our defires for what we pray according to the dictates of reason, still there remains fomething farther to be done; and an honest industry is required on our parts to make us worthy of God's

affiftance.

From fome paffages in Scripture, misjunderstood and wretchedly perverted, explained in a manner contrary to reason, and contrary to other exprefs paffages in Scripture which can never be misunderstood, there have not been wanting, and perhaps never will be wanting, men who would willingly talk industry out of the world, and call lazinefs and indolence dependance upon Providence; who truly enthusiast like, pretending to feek the kingdom of God, presume that

all

all these things fhall be added unto them, without any care, any trouble on their fide. How contrary is this to reafon, to the circumftances of the world, to the doctrine of Christianity? The Scriptures do no where countenance a fupine throwing ourselves upon Providence, without any farther concern for ourselves.

We have no right to expect a miraculous interpofition in our behalf, to hope that we fhall be fed, as the Ifraelites, with food from Heaven, or think that our lands, like Gideon's fleece, fhall be well-watered, whilft all around us are dry and barren. These are particular vouchfafements of Providence, and not to be expected by us; but when we do the best we can, when we acquit ourselves like diligent, induftrious and provident men, then may we pray to God to crown our labours with fuccefs, then may we depend upon him for our daily. bread, and live fecurely under his care and protection, without perplexing ourselves with vain fears; and all fears are vain, when we have fecured our