And as the whole fubject refts fo 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 unsucceffful prayers.

1. Texts enjoining prayer in general: "Ask " and it fhall be given you, feek and ye shall 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 afk him?" "Watch ye "therefore, and pray always, that ye may be "accounted worthy to escape all thofe things that "fhall come to pafs, and to ftand 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 without ceafing." Matt, vii. 7. 11. Luke xxi. 36. Rom. xii. 12.

Phil.

Phil. iv. 6. 1 Theff. v. 17. 1 Tim. ii. 8. Add to these, that Chrift's reproof of the oftentation and prolixity of pharifaical prayers, and his recommendation to his difciples of retirement and fimplicity in theirs, together with his dictating a particular form of prayer, all presuppose prayer to be an acceptable and availing fervice.

2. 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 befought 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

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your faith." 2 Cor. xii. 8. 1 Theff. iii. 10.

3. 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 lat

ter 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 "first of all, fupplications, prayers, interceffions, "and giving of thanks, be made for all men; "for kings and for all that are in authority, that 66 we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all 'godliness and honefty; for this is good and

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"acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour. Pfalm cxxii. 6. Zech. x. 1. 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, 3.

4. 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 repented of the evil which he thought "to do unto his people." "Peter therefore was "kept in prison, but prayer was made without

ceafing, of the Church unto God for him." "For God is my witness, that without ceafing “I make mention of you always in my prayers. "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord "Jefus Chrift's fake, and for the love of the Spirit, 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 effe&ual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Ex. xxxii. 11. Acts xii. 5. Rom. i. 9. xv. 30. James v. 16.

5. Declarations and examples authorizing the repetition of unfuccefsful prayers: "And he fpoke a parable unto them, to this end, that

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men ought always to pray, and not to faint.' "And he left them, and went away again, and C4 prayed

I

"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. Matt. xxvi. 44. 2 Cor. xii. 8.*

* The reformed churches of Christendom, fticking close in this article to their guide, have laid afide prayers for the dead, as authorized by no precept or precedent found in fcripture. For the fame reason they properly reject the invocation of faints; as also because fuch invocations fuppofe in the faints whom they addrefs a knowledge which can perceive what paffes in different regions of the earth at the fame time. 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 short of that omniscience and omniprefence which they afcribe to the Deity.

CHAP.

CHA P. IV.

OF PRIVATE PRAYER, FAMILY PRAYER, AND PUBLIC WORSHIP.

ONCERNING thefe three defcriptions

CO

ferved, that each has its feparate and peculiar ufe; and therefore, that the exercife of one fpecies 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 reafon there is for praying at all, there is the fame for making the fore and grief of each man's own heart the bufinefs of his application to God. This must be the office of private exercises of devotion, being imperfe&ly, if at all, practicable in any other.

Private prayer is generally more devout and earneft than the fhare we are capable of tak