to seek to him. Had he no ability or willingness, or were he not present by a particular providence, to attend to the situation and condition of all his creatures, there would be no foundation for our addresses to his throne, and no hope of relief in our wants or fears.

Our wants, likewise, constitute a part of the foundation of prayer. Had we no wants, there would be no need of prayer, and the duty would be superfluous. But all rational creatures have many wants, and therefore all should seek to God for a supply. We are poor, frail, dying creatures. We are also miserable, guilty sinners, odious to divine purity, and obnoxious to divine vengeance. We have wants, which we cannot supply. We are surrounded with evils, which we cannot remove, and liable to calamities, which we can only deplore. We are exposed to dangers both seen and unseen, against which we cannot sufficiently provide. There is, consequently, a just foundation for the duty of prayer. All reasonable and candid minds cannot help perceiving it. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, and call ye upon him while he

is near."

SECTION III.

THE ends and design of prayer were the next thing to be considered. After opening the nature, and pointing out the foundation of the duty, it seems requisite to show its ends and design. What good do our prayers, however sincere and constant, accomplish? What is the use or purpose of them? This is an important and interesting branch of the subject; and what will be offered, it is hoped, will convince all, at least, of the reasonableness and necessity of the duty.

The ends and design of prayer, it ought to be particularly remembered are not to make any alterations, either in the mind or purposes, or affections of God. Petitions and requests, to men like ourselves, are designed to cause them to pity us, and change their purposes. But we grossly err, and betray great ignorance, if we imagine that the design of our petitions to God, the holy Sovereign of the universe, is to change his mind. Yet many, it is to be feared, have no higher or more consistent notions of so plain a duty, than that it is intended to bring about some change in the object, either to make him more friendly and lenient, or to produce some alteration in his nature, will, and purposes. But it is not any part of the design of our addresses to God to alter his mind or purposes.

He would be imperfect, were he capable of any change. A being who is all-perfect can never change. The Almighty Jehovah is the same from eternity to eternity; the same in wisdom, goodness, and power; the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. "Before the

mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world; even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God." His mind is always the same, and can never alter. "He is of one mind and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth that he doth: for he performeth the thing appointed for me." His purposes are, likewise, fixed, beyond all possibility of change. He sees things just as they are, in all cases; and consequently there can be no room or ground for any alteration. "I know that whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it: nor any thing taken from it, and God doth it that men should fear before him." On his immutability rests the stability of the universe. Were he changeable, often altering his designs and counsels, we could have no dependance upon him, trust in his promises, or hopes of his lasting favor. But he is the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness or so much as shadow of turning. Thus, therefore, he speaks of himself, "I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

Equally evident it is, that the ends and design of prayer are not to excite divine commiseration and clemency. Many will be ready to allow that God is immutable, but still conceive that our abundant and affectionate cries to him are designed to draw forth his tender mercy, or to make him mild and relenting when he beholds our distresses and sorrows. Such a notion of the ends of prayer, though entertained by many, proceeds from defective and unworthy views of the divine nature and attributes. What has given rise to such a mistaken idea, in the minds of people, and especially children, is that our requests to our fellow creatures are intended to excite their feelings of sympathy and commiseration. When we, in an affectionate and lively manner, describe to others, our calamities and wants, it is to move their bowels of compassion. Thus, the transition is easy to the supposition that God is moved to compassion by our pathetic supplications to him for relief. But the design of prayer is by no means to excite the pity of the Deity. Were this the end of our homage and cries to God, it would imply that he was not, in his own nature, sufficiently inclined to mercy, but was hard-hearted and cruel, inexorable and unkind. This would be the highest reproach to him: For he is, indeed, infinitely merciful, benevolent, and kind; the Father of mercies; slow unto anger; abundant in

goodness, in long-suffering, and in every amiable attribute. He is said to delight in mercy, which is a most endearing view of the clemency of his nature. "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." He is said, also, to extend his pity over all his works. "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works." Hence we are commanded to imitate his merciful nature. "Be ye, therefore, merciful, as your Father who is in heaven, is merciful." Certainly, then, the end of prayer cannot be to move him to compassion, as he is infinitely merciful, in his own nature, and always ready to exercise his tender pity, when it is wise and best. We are, of course, never once to admit the supposition that God stands in need of being stirred up to compassion by affecting descriptions of our misery, eloquent addresses, mournful complaints, or ardent

petitions.

Neither can the purpose of prayer be to suspend or interrupt the laws of nature or operations of second causes, and bend the government of God to the wants of the creature. Our supplications and homage are not designed to induce him to work miracles