trations of a being so imperfect as man. It can be demanded only from that infinite wisdom and benevolence which requires our worship for its own essential rectitude, and for its beneficial influence in cultivating the affections and habits of piety, for which it is so admirably fitted. For adoration of the divine perfections, while it impresses the pious mind with an awful reverence of the Deity, tends to elevate the tone of its moral feelings, and to assimilate them to the purity of the object of its worship.-The grateful recollection of the divine mercies, in the immediate presence of God, serves to confirm the affectionate purposes of duty, and obedience to him.-On the contrary, the penitent confession of the sins and errors of life, helps to arm the soul against its own weakness, and its impure passions. And finally, the supplications which we address to the Father of mercies for the blessings which we need, either for the present life, or in the hope of a future and higher existence, remind us, continually, of our dependence on him for all things; and awaken, by that remembrance, the profoundest sentiments of piety. Can there be more proper means of cultivating in human nature the best and noblest affections of the heart?

The second objection, which perhaps, is more plausible, and seems supported on stronger metaphysical ground, is directed against the efficacy, and consequently the utility of prayer, employed as a mean of obtaining the divine favour, either in our public, or private devotions.-The order of

the universe, and the eternal train of causes and effects, have, from the beginning, been fixed by infinite wisdom. And the laws which have been established by divine wisdom are as unchangeable as those which have been ascribed to necessity, or fate.-Why, then, it is demanded, should we pray? If pre-established causes naturally co-operate to the production of the event, it must take place independently of our prayers. If otherwise, we pray in vain. The breath of mortals cannot change the eternal order of things. -This is the objection placed in the strongest point of light. -To obviate it, let it be observed that prayer can have only two ends in view; either to cultivate the moral qualities of the heart, and thereby obtain those spiritual blessings which, in the order of providence are connected with them, or to procure those external, and temporal goods which we solicit in prayer. To obtain the former, we have seen that prayer, with every other part of divine worship, possesses an obvious and acknowledged influence. The stress of the objection, therefore, presses on the latter; but admits of this simple and unconstrained solution.-From the superiority of intellect to matter, and of the moral to the physical order of things, there is the highest probability that the latter has been created wholly in subserviency to the former. If this principle be admitted, will it not result as a natural consequence that the Creator may have so adjusted the physical to the moral order of things, that, foreseeing the sincere, and reasonable desires of good men, who are his children,

the disposition of causes, and the train of events shall be. such as, at the proper time, and in the way most agreeable to his infinite wisdom, to correspond with their prayers, if it be his will to bestow the blessing? For so perfect is his foreknowledge, that, with regard to his infinite view, no event may be considered as future, but all things are immediately present.

If this be regarded as an hypothetical answer to the objection, there are, at least, innumerable occasions on which the same answer, derived from the relation of the two worlds, appears to be founded on the plain and obvious course of nature. How often do the events of the world manifestly depend upon moral springs? How often do we see the fortunes of individuals greatly influenced by their moral character? And the universal voice of history, has almost raised it into a maxim, that the prosperity of nations is intimately linked with their virtue, and their decline as certainly associated with the corruption of morals, and the disorder of the public When we reflect, therefore, how much public and individual manners are affected by the healthful state of religion, and how much this is connected with the purity of the public worship, and the sincerity of private devotion, we can hardly avoid the conclusion, that on many events, prayers offered up to alinighty God, with humility, fervency and severance, have an influence not less powerful, and often, much more successful than any other second cause. So that

manners.

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whether we regard the wise and eternal arrangements of providence, or the known and fixed order of natural and moral events, the result still recurs that prayer, far from being an unreasonable and hopeless service, not only has a natural and important influence on human events, but may have, as revelation assures us it has, a positive and divine efficacy. And, indeed, can any institution be more just and equitable in itself, than that God should make the conferring of the blessings which we ask in prayer, to depend upon the exist ence and growth of those pious dispositions which are best cultivated by these devotional exercises?

OF OUR DUTIES TO OUR FELLOW-MEN.

These duties include a greater compass and variety than those which terminate immediately upon God. They respect the infinitely various relations which subsist among mankind, and necessarily occupy much the largest portion of life. There is scarcely one of our actions which does not affect some of these relations. From the general information which prevails in a country like ours, continually enlightened by the pulpit, on the practical duties of society, it would be wholly unnecessary to go into an extensive detail of our social offi

ces.

Sufficient, I presume, it will be to suggest a few subdivisions under which they may all be classed.

The first and most general division of our duties may be into those which are negative, consisting merely in abstinence from injury, or the infliction of unnecessary pain-and such as are positive, being employed chiefly in doing actual good. Many subordinate classes of practical duty may admit of a similar division. But when we speak of duty in general, it seems peculiarly requisite, on account of the many and strong passions in human nature, which so often impel men to mutu. al injury.

The positive duties which we owe to our fellow-men may all be comprised under the heads of justice and beneficence. But though so simple in their principles, they are in practice, almost infinitely diversified in their details, according to the relations which we sustain to our country-to our family to our vicinity-to our friends-to the objects of our charity-to those who are invested with authority over us-or who are subjected to our controul-or, finally, according to our philanthropic relations to mankind. On these duties volumes have been written; libraries have been filled; and still they are subjects which constantly demand our attention, and on which we can never cease to be active and to learn.

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