great many have found, to their Coft, the Vanity of fuch an Imagination: They have prayed moft heartily and feelingly against fuch particular Sins, as they are most inclined to, and for the Attainment of fuch particular Vertues as they moft needed; and yet it has often happen'd, that on the very fame Day when they have made these devout Prayers, they have been overtaken by that Sin they prayed againft, and rather gone backwards than forwards, as to the Vertue they afpired after. How now comes this to pass? Did not God hear their Prayers? they indeed are apt to think so, and to charge him with Unkindness for it, but they are much to blame for fo doing: There is no Doubt but that God did thus far hear and grant their Petitions, that he did all that was needful on his Part for the preventing those Sins and increafing those Vertues, which were the Subject of their Prayers. He gave Grace and Strength fufficient to the Men for the producing those Effects they did defire: But the Men did not do their Part; they did not make use of that Strength, they did not watch over themselves as they fhould have one: They did not endeavour to avoid thofe Temptations which used to betray them into that Sin, nor take those Opportunites which God put into their Hands, for the improving of their Vertue, and here the Fault of the Mifcarriage is to be laid. God is always ready and willing

to

to fend down his Influences and Communications, upon every Soul that is prepared and difpofed to receive them: And that Grace which he affords fhall always have that Effect we defire, if we do but cooperate with it, if we by our Sloth and Negligence do not betray the Cause of God to the common Enemy.

Chriftians therefore, all of you that hear me this Day, if ever you mean to be good, if ever you mean to be happy, if ever you expect God's Favour and Acceptance in this World and in the other, let me defire you to confider and remember this, as the great Business of your Life, in order to the attaining thefe Ends, must be to pray to God moft earnestly and conftantly for his Direction, and Affiftance, and Influence, and Bleffing, in all that you go about; and as you must put up your Prayers in Faith, and Charity, and in the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, our Great Mediator; fo it will alfo concern you particularly, if you would have thefe Prayers effectual to contribute your felves to the Efficacy of them, by using your earneft Endeavours to work in and for your felves, all that you defire God to work in you, and for you. You are on the one hand fo to pray, as if God was to do all, and you could do nothing (as it is certainly true); and yet on the other hand you are fo to labour and endeavour, as if the whole Succefs of the Bufinefs did depend H 2 upon

upon your felves (and this is true alfo): if you fail in either of thefe Things you will be disappointed in your Aims; but if you join both together you may depend upon it, that God will give you every thing that is needful for you: And however Things go, you shall at least be tolerably happy in this World, but unspeakably for ever happy in the next.

Which that we may all be, God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.

SERMON

SERMON V.

1 COR. XIV. 15.

What is it then? I will pray with the
Spirit, I will pray with the Under-
Standing alfo.

T

HIS Text, at the firft View, feems
a little remote from the Bufinefs
of this Day, which is to comme-

morate the Defcent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apoftles, and the manifold and wonderful Gifts which he then conferr'd upon them: But when it comes to be explain'd you will fee it perfectly falls in with that Argument; the Subject-matter of this Text, as you will find, being one of thofe fpiritual extraordinary Powers of the Holy Ghoft then given to them, which are the proper Objects of our Meditation on this Day.

There is none of us fo ignorant as not to have heard of this Term of Praying by the Spirit, or fo little acquainted with the State of Religion in this Nation, as not to be fenfi

H 3

ble

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ble what a Bone of Contention it has been, and ftill is amongst us. All Parties do agree that we ought to pray by the Spirit as much as we can, that is, that we ought by all Means to endeavour after the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit in our Prayers, and that then we pray most effectually to God, when we are most affifted by him. Thus far, I say, we are all agreed; but then, here we come to be divided, fome of us think (namely, those that are of the Communion of the Church) that as the Measure of the Spirit's Affistance is now afforded in the World, all the Influence we are to expect from the Spirit in our Prayers, is exciting in us pious Defires, and devout Affections, and Faith in God, and Refignation of our selves to him, and thofe other Qualities and Difpofitions of Mind, that tend to make our Prayers acceptable to our heavenly Father.

But as to the Form of our Prayers, whether they be long or fhort, whether they be put into Words, or fent up in Thoughts and Wishes, or if put into Words, whether they be conceived on a fudden, or premeditated, or whether they be in a fet Form of our compofing, or in a Form of Words appointed us by others, we think thefe Things no way concern our praying by the Spirit; we think we may as much pray by the Spirit in one way as in the other.

If we make any Difference it is this, that at all Times we think it more decent and

more