1 any pofitive Precept; and therefore we do not "find that in the Law of Mofes, there is any Precept commanding This Duty." I have feveral Remarks to make upon This Paffage, which is by no means accurate, or just. In the firft Place, if he means, by in the Law of Mofes, the Ten Commandments, it is true, but nothing to the Purpose because, if it be any where commanded under the Jewish Difpenfation, it is the fame Thing. Secondly, a Thing may carry the Force, or Obligation, of a Precept, tho' it be not exprefs'd directly in the preceptive Stile. If it any way appears that it is the Will of God that we should do a thing, his Will is a Law, or Command, for the doing of it, let the Manner of Expreffion be what it will; and anfwers all the Purposes of an express Precept. This I apprehend to be the Cafe with regard to the Paffage in our Saviour's Sermon, which the Bishop quotes; but it is not to my prefent Purpofe to confider it. Thirdly, he fays, that Prayer is a Duty fo clearly taught by the Light of Nature, that there was no Need of a POSITIVE PRECEPT to enjoin it. The Light of Nature is an ambiguous Expreffion, as I have before obferv'd. If he meant that mere Reason, unaifted by Revelation, could clearly difcover Prayer to be a Duty, I have already fhewn the contrary to be true. Nay, farther, that without Revelation we could not prove that we are so much as permitted to pray to God, confequently, that the Practice took its Rife from a pofitive Precept. But, now let us enquire whether God has not declar'd it, it, in the old Teftament, to be his Will that we fhould pray to him; if he has, then Prayer is enjoined by a pofitive Command under the Jewish Difpenfation. Before the building of the Temple, there had been Places, particularly, the Tabernacle, confecrated by the Appointment of God, for his Worship, where he gave vifible Tokens of his more immediate Prefence: It is abfolutely certain, from plain Paffages of Scripture, that Prayer was practifed in thofe Days; from whence it must be concluded, that Prayer was Part of the Worship which God required them to offer up in thofe Places, which he had appointed, and fanctified. But, the Temple, which was built by God's immediate Direction, is ftiled, by himself, the House of Prayer. In This House he promised to meet his People, to hear, and accept their Addreffes. Is not This a divine Appointment to pray to God in this confecrated Place? To This House they were to look whenever they prayed, in any other Place, in full Affurance that God would hear and accept fuch Prayers. Was not This a divine Appointment, commanding all People to pray? But, there are in the Old Teftament many exprefs Directions to This Purpose, fuch as thefe. O thou that hearest Prayer, unto thee fhall all Flesh come.-Prayer shall be made ever unto him, and daily fhall he be praised.-Sing forth the Honour of his Name, make his Praife to he glorious.-Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy Works?-O blefs our God, ye People. -Offer to God Thanksgiving. Then they fhall confefs their Sins that they have done.-Are not these * these pofitive Directions for every Part of Prayer? Were not these Directions given by divine InSpiration? Is not, then, the Duty of Prayer a divine Appointment? Was not all This done during the Jewish Difpenfation, while the Law of Mofes was in Force? And if all This be true, as it most certainly is, how can any learned Man fay, that when our Saviour gave his Difciples Directions concerning Prayer, Men were fuppofed to have practised this Duty, not by any divine Appointment, but upon the Principles of natural Religion only?—If we proceed to the New Teftament we meet with Variety of the plaineft Precepts; fome of which I fhall transcribe.Men ought always to pray. I will that Men pray every where.-Pray without ceafing.-Watch and pray. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication; with Thanksgiving, let your Requests be made known unto God. I avoid troubling the Reader with any Quotations, where the particular Parts of Prayer are dif tinctly mentioned, because That has been done under the first Head; where I fhewed the different Acceptations of the Word in different Places, and that it fometimes comprehends every Part of Prayer, as in the following Words, pray with all Prayer. But This Point is so very obvious, that no Man can deny that every Part of Prayer is commanded in the New Testament. The only Difficulty is, to account for the Neglect of This important Duty in those who profefs their Belief of the Bible, and efpecially in those who profefs themselves the Difciples of Chrift, Christ, while they refufe to follow the Example, or Precepts of their Mafter. He prayed, himfelf, both in publick, and in private; in the Temple, and on Mountains, and in Defarts; in the most frequented, and in the most retir'd Places; he hath taught, and commanded, all his Followers to pray; and, yet, we have too much Reason to fear that Numbers, who dishonour his Name by calling themselves Chriftians, never offer up any Prayers to God in their Closets, or with their Families; and fome there are who scarce ever appear in any Place of publick WorShip; very few that attend publick Prayers fo often as they might, and would do if they had a right Notion of their Obligation to the Performance of a Duty fo pofitively enjoined, fo advantageous and comfortable to thofe who perform it properly. The first of thefe, the determined Infidel, and notorioufly irreligious Profeffor of Christianity, I can only pray for, not having much Hope of converting, and reclaiming them; but I fhall endeavour to enforce a more frequent Practice of This Duty upon all those who retain any ferious Senfe of Religion. CHA P. Concerning the Effects of Prayer. Ith N the laft Chapter I fhew'd, from the Nature of Prayer, that it must be a more influencial Means of Religion and Virtue than Meditation, or Contemplation, under any poffible Circumftances; cumstances; but I fhall now enlarge upon the re "Prayer is the Wing of our Souls, whereby "we raise up ourfelves, above this lower World to the God above, and with whom while we "therein converfe, we become more and more "transform'd into his Nature. Whatever Anticipations of Heaven there are here upon Earth; whatever Foretaftes we " Chriftians have, in thefe Bodies, of the Hap"piness of Eternity, they are all effected by the "Means of Prayer." This general Account of the Matter is certainly juft, and ftrong, and tender; what That Saint on Earth experienced in himfelf; what every other Chriftian may feel, in Proportion as he approaches towards his angelic Difpofition, and habitual Exercife of the Duty. But, if we confider attentively the Nature of the Thing, we may eafily perceive how the proper Performance of every Part of Prayer produces pious and virtuous Difpofitions. When we praife and magnify F God's |