subject rests so much upon the foundation of fcripture, I fhall put down at length texts applicable to the five following heads; to the duty and efficacy of prayer in general; of prayer for particular favours by name; for public national bleffings; of interceffion for others; of the repetition of unfuccefsful prayers.

Texts injoining prayer in general: ' Ask, and it fhall be given you; feek, and ye fhall find.' 'If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?' • Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that fhall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.'

Serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing inftant in prayer?' Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.' 'I will, therefore, that: men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Pray withLuke xxi. 36.

out ceafing. Mat. vii 7, 9 Rom. xii. 12. Phil. iv. 6. 1 Theff. v. 17.

I Tim. ii. 8. Add to these, that Christ's reproof of the oftentation and prolixity of of Pharifaical prayers, and his recommendation to his difciples of retirement and fimplicity in their's, together with his dictating a particular form of prayer, all presuppose prayer to be an acceptable and availing fervice.

Examples of prayer for particular favours by name: For this thing (to wit, fome bodily infirmity, which he calls a thorn given him in the flesh,') 'I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me.' Night and day praying exceedingly, that we might fee your face, and perfect that which is lacking in your faith.' 2 Cor. xii. 8. I Theff. iii. 10.

Directions to pray for national or public bleffings Pray for the peace of Jerufalem: Afk ye of the Lord rain, in the time of the latter rain; fo the Lord fhall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grafs in the field.' I exhort therefore that firft of all fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ; for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness

godliness and honefty; for this is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour." Pfalm cxxii. 6. Zech. x. I. 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, 3.

Examples of interceffion, and exhortations to intercede for others: And Mofes befought the Lord his God, and faid, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people?' Remember Abraham, Ifaac, and Ifrael, thy fervants.' And the Lord re

pented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.' • Peter therefore was kept in prifon, but prayer was made without ceafing, of the church unto God, for bim. For God is my witness that without ceafing I make mention of you always in my prayers?' 'Now I befeech you, brethren, for the Lord Jefus Chrift' fake, and for the love of the fpirit, that ye ftrive together with me in your prayers for me?' • Confefs your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.' Ex. xxxii. 11. Acts xii. 5. Rom. i. 9. xv. 30. James v. 16.

Declarations and examples authorizing the repetition of unfuccessful prayers: And he spake a parable unto them, to this end,

that

that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.' And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, faying the fame words? "For this thing I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.' Luke xviii. 1. Mat. xxvi. 44. 2 Cor. xii. 8. *.

*The reformed churches of Chriftendom, sticking clofe in this article to their guide, have laid afide prayers for the dead, as authorized by no precept or precedent founded in fcripture. For the fame reason they properly reject the invocation of faints; as alfo because fuch invocations fuppofe in the faints they addrefs, a knowledge which can perceive, at the fame time, what paffes in different regions of the earth. And they deem it too much to take for granted, without the smallest intimation of fuch a thing in fcripture, that any created being poffeffes a faculty little fhort of that omnifcience and omniprefence which they afcribe to the Deity.

CHAP.

CH A P.,VI.

Of private Prayer, Family Prayer, and public Worship.

ONCERNING these three descriptions

of devotion, it is firft of all to be observed, that they have each their separate and peculiar ufe; and therefore, that the exercise of one species of worship, however regular it be, does not fuperfede, or difpenfe with the obligation of either of the other two.

I. Private prayer is recommended for the fake of the following advantages:

Private wants cannot always be made the fubjects of public prayer; but whatever reason there is for praying at all, there is the fame for making the fore and grief of each man's own heart the business of his application to God. This must be the office of private exercises of devotion, being imperfectly, if at all, practicable in any other.

Private