rous Eagerness of Spirit, diffatisfied with SERM. IX. itself, and out of Humour with every Thing elfe. Bufinefs, on the other Hand, Application and Industry will fhut up all the Avenues to Temptation, fill the Compafs of our Minds, and exclude those vicious Ideas, which will be laying close Siege, and preffing for Admittance. May God defend us from all Adversities, which may happen to the Body; and from all evil Thoughts, which may affault and burt the Soul! $ 2 SERMON SERMON X. On the Reasonableness of Prayer in general, and of publick Worship. ROMANS XII. 12. Continuing inftant in Prayer. T O preserve upon our Minds a SERM. X. dance on him, the Apostle here recommends conftant Prayer, To enforce which Advice, I fhall tages of Prayer in general. IIdly, Of publick Worship. IIIdly, Of Family Prayer. IVthly, Conclude with an Exhortation. to Prayer. It, Then I am to fhew the Refonablenefs and Advantages of Prayer in general. Certainly S 3 SERM. X. Certainly nothing is more reasonable, 1 than that we, who know*, that every good and perfect Gift cometh from above, fhould acknowledge, that it doth fo by looking up to that Being, from whom our Help cometh. Were, indeed, what we receive, a Matter of strict Debt; then we might fay, who is the Lord, that we should pray unto him? But as our Enjoyments are the Effects of his undeferved Mercy; it becomes us to afk if we would receive. In a Word, they, that are fenfible of their Dependance every Moment upon God, ought to perform fuch Acts as are expreffive, in the moft fignificant Manner, of that Dependance; Now Prayer is the most fignificant and expreffive of our Dependance upon him: Since not to pray, would imply, that what is conveyed to us was not of free Grace, but à Matter of undif puted Right. Again, if Prayer be beneficial to hu man Nature, God, as a good Creator, muft neceffarily defire the Performance of a Duty, which is for the Good of his Creatures: But, that Prayer is beneficial to human Nature, is evident: : *See Dr. Clarke's Sermons Vol. IX. Page 437. Because, Because, in the firft Place, it has a Ten- SERM. X. dency to beget in us those very Graces and Virtues, which we pray for. For what we constantly and seriously pray for, that we shall earnestly defire; and what we earneftly defire, that we fhall endeavour to attain: Warm Defires naturally ripen into correspondent Actions. Secondly, what can humble the Soul more in Prosperity, than to proftrate ourfelves before him, who is clothed with Majesty and Honour? Or what cap brighten up the Soul more in Adverfity, than to confider him who is the Almighty Helper of the Friendless? Nothing is more deeply riveted in human Nature, than a Spirit of Self-Sufficiency and Independency: And nothing is more requifite to beat down this Spirit, than Prayer, which is the Confeffion of Infufficiency in ourselves, and our Dependance on our Maker. When we are praying, we either do, or ought to confider ourselves, as fo many Malefactors imploring the Mercy of our great Sovereign, whofe are the Iffues of Life and Death: and what can lower the Pride of Man more, than fuch a Confideration? |