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generation, of juftification, adoption and fanctification, wholly through a Redeemer. It confirms us more and more in this, that Jefus is the Chrift, that he is mighty to fave, and that there is falvation in no other. While we fupplicate divine help to perform the duties of piety, righteousness, charity, forgiveness, patience and fobriety, it is calculated to keep alive a fenfe of thefe duties in our hearts, and to establish us in the practice of them. Our fupplications not to be led into temptation, but to be delivered from evil, have a powerful tendency to make us afraid, and cautious with refpect to fin, and to make us flee the very appearance of evil. Our acknowledgments of the di vine mercies are adapted to keep them in continual remembrance, and to make us always thankful,

Prayer is also an ordinance in which God's people obtain releafe from guilt, diftrefs and forrow, and experience great comfort and joy. The pfalmift bears witness that it is good to draw near to God. [Pfal. Ixiii. 28.] Whate comfort and deliverance did Jacob obtain by prayer, when he had power with God and prevailed, and the Lord de livered him from his brother Efau? What sweet release from guilt did David experience in prayer? His bones waxed old by reafon of his roaring all the day but, when he acknowledged his tranfgreffions, God forgave the iniquity of his fin. For this, fays he, hall every one that godly pray unte thee in a time when thou mayeft be found. [Pfal. xxxii. 3, 4, 5, 6.] How was Hannah comforted and bleffed in prayer? She had been a woman of a forrowful fpirit; but in prayer fhe was comforted, and her countenance was no more fad. [1 Sam. i. 15. 18.] What bleffings did Mofes, Samuel, Elijah, Daniel, the apostles and primitive chrif. tians, obtain by prayer? How was Ifrael faved by prayer, when the Lord was about to come up into the midit of them, and confume them in a moment? What deliverance and victories did they obtain for the church of God? When Mofes held up his hands, how was Amalek difcomfited? When Samuel cried unto the Lord, how did he thunder upon the enemies of Ifrael, and fave his ple? How did they obtain victories, tay, and open the botties of heaven, ftop the mouths of lions, shake the foundations of prifons, and open the gates of iron? What

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bleflings have been obtained for individuals, for families, and the church of God by prayer? Is it not through prayer th Zion profpers and enjoys peace! Is it not through this, that the is eftablifhed? That her righteoufnefs fhall go forth as brightnefs, and her falvation as a lamp that burneth? That Jerufalem fhall be made a praise in the earth? The effectual fervent prayer of every right. eous man availeth much. Whenever God's people draw near to him, he will draw nigh to them, in a way of fpe. cial grace, to deliver them in danger, to comfort them in forrow, to increase their faith, and love, and hope, and joy, and all the fruits of their righteoufnefs. He quill fulfil the defire of them that fear him: be will bear their cry and fave them. [Pfal. cxlv. 19.] He gives all new covenant bleffings, even eternal falvation in anfwer to prayer. Fer hafoever fhall call upon the name of the Lord fhall be faged [Rom. x. 13.

The more chriftians pray with the spirit of adoption, the more they are habituated to it; the more fweet and fenfible is their communion with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift: the more they edify themselves and grow in grace; the more they edify their families, the church of God, and all with whom they have occafion to pray: The more they avert the divine judgments and turn away wrath from a people; and the more they call down bleflings upon themselves, and families, and the Irael of God, the greater alfo will be their reward in the day of the appearing and kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift. For every prayer offered in his name will receive. a divine, an everlasting reward. Even the prayers which have been made in the moft fecret apartments fhall be rewarded openly. How vaft and numerous, in these veiws, are the advantages of prayer? They are not merely temporal, but fpiritual and eternal. What motives. does this sketch of the advantages of prayer exhibit, to engage all to arife without delay, and call upon the name of the Lord? To pray always and not to faint?

But there are ftill other motives of great confideration by which I would perfuade and prefs you to the duty of prayer. These are the encouragements which God hath given you to pray. Thefe are indeed many and great. eyond calculation. All the advantages of prayer are fo

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many encouragments to pray. The goodness of God is a valt encouragment to pray to him always. The greater the goodness of a prince, or benefactor is, the more eafy of accefs, the greater is the encouragement to afk his favor. But God is infinitely and unchangeably good, and maft eafy of accefs. He is always nigh unto them who call upon him in truth. The pooreft, the vileft, the moft helpless and ferlorn, may approach unto him, through Jefus Christ, and be accepted in him. They may pray to him at all times, in all places, and upon all emergencies. They may make known unto him all their wants, and he will fupply them. He is rich unto all who call upon him. What encouragements are thefe to pray?'

Moreover, God's erecting a throne of grace, and opening a way to the mercy feat, at the expenfe of the precious blood of his own Son is a further encouragement. He, who hath done fo much that finners might have ac cefs to him, must be most ready and willing to hear their prayers, and to communicate all bleffings to them through a Redeemer. He, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, bow fhall be not with him alfo freely give us all things. Rom. viii, 32.] Further, that if any man fin, we have fuch an advocate with the Father, even Jefus Chrift the righteous, is of vaft encouragement to pray. But, as though all thefe encouragements were not fufficient to fhew his willingness to hear, he has reprefented himself as a God who heareth prayer; as though it were his very name and nature to hear prayer. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. [Pfal. Ixv. 2.] With this reprefentation, his promifes perfectly correfpond. This is the general tenor of them, And it fhall come to pass that before they call I will anfwer, and whilft they are yet fpeaking I will bear. Ifaiah lxv. 24.] Afk and it fhall be given you: for every one, that afketh, receiveth: and he, that feeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall he opened. [Matth. vii. 7, 8.] Not one humble, praying foul ever once prayed in vain. No, not one, however guilty, and defpifed in this world, ever went, in the name of Jefus, to the throne of grace, and departed unheard and unbleft. It is written, I faid not to the feed of Jacob, feek ye me in vain. [Ifaiah xlv. 19.] If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it for you. [John

xiv. 13. and xv. 16.] God is more ready to give his holy Spirit, heaven with all its dignities, to thofe who afk him,.. than the kindeft parents are to give bread to their deareft offspring. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your beavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him.? [Luke xi. 13.] He giveth liberally and upbraideth not. [James i. 5.] He does for his people exceeding abundantly, above all that they afk or think: [Eph. iii. 20.] What encouragements

are thefe to pray? To pray always and not to faint?

Having thus laid before you the duty of prayer and family religion, your duty to pray always with all prayer and fupplication, and to be abundant in the religious inftruction of thofe committed to your care, the advantages. of doing thefe duties to yourfelves, to your families, and the church of God; and the encouragements which he hath given you faithfully to discharge them, what fhall be faid more to perfuade and engage you in the practice of thefe duties? Will ye rebel against the light of reafon and the exprefs and repeated commands of God? Is he not your king and lawgiver? Are ye not his creatures; and hath he not a most perfect right to command you, and to re ceive your entire obedience? Be intreated to confider› how ye can anfwer it, if ye will difregard his commands and infinite authority? Can ye endure the penalties of his law? Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath: profpered? Is neither the wrath nor the favor of God: worthy of your regard? Hath he nothing to give; is there nothing which he can do for you, and your families,, worth your feeking? Is there nothing in him, nothing which he hath done for you, or yours, which demands your love, thanksgiving and obedience? fhall his wondrous goodness and condefcenfion in erecting a throne of grace, and allowing finners to lift up their faces before him in giving you all your family bleffings, and in all. the promises he hath made to the fupplicants of his mer cy, have no effect upon you ? Shall the love of Jefus in dying for us, fo that if any man fin he might have an advocate with the Father, have no contraining influence; upon your hearts? Shall I plead this infinite love with you-in vain? Shall all the advantages of prayer, and all..

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the encouragements given you to pray, the examples of the faints, and even the examples of our bleffed Savior fland for nothing with you? I befeech you, and pray God, of his infinite mercy, that they may not. I befeech you by the united weight and influence of all thefe confiderations that none of you whether old or young, would caft off fear, and restrain prayer before God. Be perfuaded moft feriously to confider this addrefs, thofe fcripture paffages to which I have referred you. Confider them as the words and commands of God which fhall judge you at the laft day. Confider the clear light and weighty motives which are here fet before you, and let them command your hearts and conduct. This addrefs will doubtlefs come to thousands of you without money and without price. It will come to you from those who have been long laboring, watching and praying for your fouls; from thofe who have never feen moft of you, but have for many years been employing their money, time and labors for the best interests of yourselves and of your chil dren, and are longing for your falvation in the bowels of Chrift; from thofe who never expect to see you until we fhall meet together before his judgment feat. It will come to you from thofe who can expect no worldly compenfation for all their labors and concern for you; and can derive no other benefit or pleasure from them, than that of doing good, of honoring God, and of meeting you and your dear offspring at the right hand of the Saviour, and of fpending an eternity with you in his glory. Ye will have in this very addrefs, a pledge and occular dem, onftration of our labors and defires to ferve you. will ye not awake to your duty? Will ye after all, de ftroy yourselves, and deprive us, as far as in you lies, of that only fruit of our labors and prayers, that divine pleaftre and reward which only we are feeking or can ever expect from you? Will you not rather comfort our hearts with the pleafing profpect of your cordial reception of thefe exhortations? Let your clofets, morning and evening witnefs your fincere and fervent devotions. There confefs and, bewail your fecret fins, your inward corrup tions, your pride, your felfifhnefs, your unbelief, impenitence, and the fins which most easily befet you; your

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