human help is vain, Here, I fay, let us leave him; and let us devoutly thank God that wei are not Philofophers, Let us thank God that ours belief of this most important doctrine of a particular providence is founded, not on the cobweb fubtleties of human fcience, but on that folid, immoveable rock, the Gofpel of Christ.

The Scripture informs us, that he who firft created the world, ftill continues to preferve it ; that he is about our path and about our bed, "and spieth out all our ways *;" that," without his knowledge not a fparrow falls to the:

66.

ground, and that the very hairs of our head are. “all numbered." To this gracious and Almighty Being we are commanded to pray, and that not only for ourfelves but for others. alfo, Pray one for another," fays St. James. "Let fupplication, prayers, interceffions, and "giving of thanks be made for all men."

Seek the peace of the city where you live,' "and pray unto the Lord for it." What a pleafing, what a fpacious field of benevolence. is here opened to the Chriftian, from which the unbeliever (who yet, of all others, boasts

Pfalm cxxxix. 2.
Timothy ii. 1.

+ Matthew x. 29, 30.

Jeremiah xxix. 7.

the

the most of his benevolence) abfolutely shuts himself out. We think it a strong mark of our regard, to recommend those we love to some great and powerful friend, who is able to fupport and advance them in the world. But what earthly fupport or protection is to be compared to HIS, who has all the powers of nature, and all the events of futurity, at his command, who has the hearts of all men in his hand, and "turneth them whitherfoever " he will*." What a privilege, what an honour, what an indulgence is it, that we are allowed to commit those we love to his care and guardianship; and that we can do it without raising up a rival in his affections! In the arms of his mercy there is room for all. He can embrace in them, at once, the whole race of mankind; and the more we intercede in our prayers for others, the furer are we of his kindness to ourselves. To him we seldom fail to have recourfe in our own diftrefs. There are cafes in which we fly to him by a kind of instinctive impulse; in which without the utmoft violence, we cannot refrain ourselves from prayer. If then we have any real good will to our fellow-creatures,

* Prov. xxi. 1.

we

we shall implore the fame mercies, and with the fame earneftness, for them that we do for ourfelves. If we have any love for our country, we shall not fail to give it a place in our devotions, and to pray most ardently for the profperity and stability of our Jerufalem.

In what manner our prayers can be granted, or by what means God can avert calamity from those we recommend to his protection, without doing violence to what is called the ordinary courfe of nature, it is no concern of ours to enquire. If God has commanded us to pray for others, it is our business not to philosophize, but to obey. Let us give ourfelves no trouble about the course of nature. It is perfectly fafe in the hands of its divine Author. There may be no difficulties to Omnipotence, where we fee nothing but impoffibilities. Let us leave God to manage his own world, and perform his promises, as he certainly will, in his own way. All we have to do is, to make a faithful use of that valuable privilege of INTERCESSION, which he has graciously allowed us for the benefit of our fellow-creatures. The most indigent man may fay to his neighbour, as St. Peter did to the cripple at the gate of

the

the temple, filver, and gold have I none;

"bug fuch as I have, give I thee *." My wishes, my interceffions, my prayers you, fhall have. On earth, indeed, I can do nothing, but I will try to move HEAVEN in your favour. This puts it into the power of the meanest, member of fociety, if he is but religious and devout, to be as effentially useful, both to indivi duals and to the community, as thofe that fill the highest and most active ftations of life. From the deepest folitude, and from the humbleft, cell, his prayers may reach the throne of God; may there touch one of thofe celeftial springs that fet the world in motion; may be among the reafons that induce. the Almighty to give. a new turn to the great wheels of the universe, and to rescue individuals, families, and empires, from deftruction. Improbable, and even ridi̟-culous, as this may feem to the profound reafoners of this world, the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Teftament, are full of the powerful prevalence and aftonishing effects of prayer; and unlefs we abfolutely renounce all faith in the Gospel, and all confidence in the promifes of Chrift, we must admit the truth of this doctrine; we must acknowledge, that

A

* A&ts iii. 6.

1

"the

« the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous "man," either for himself, or for others, availeth much

Let then, every ‚ every fincere Chriftian, unmoved by the cavils of the fophift, or the infults of the fcorner, fteadily and refolutely perfevere in that most benevolent office of INTERCEDfor all mankind. Let him befeech the great Sovereign of the Universe to enlighten the ignorant, to ftrengthen the weak, to confirm the doubtful, to convert the infidel, to reclaim the profligate, to soften the unmerciful, to restrain the violent and vindictive, to redress the injured and oppreffed, to protect the innocent; to reconcile the interefts and calm the paffions of contending individuals and hoftile nations; to avert from this hitherto favoured land those bitter evils with which other countries are now fo cruelly defolated and overwhelmed; to direct the councils and profper the just designs of those whom Providence has fet over us; to unite the hearts of thofe they govern, as the heart of one man, in sentiments of Christian charity, and constitutional obedience. Let him implore, in fine, • James v. 16.

(as

*