to religion, and brand it with the name of superstition. In this we discover our degeneracy, and that we have too far forgotten the God of our fathers; and society at large is most evidently injured by this part of our conduct. Vice and immorality uncommonly abound; and children and youth show that their religious education has been neglected. Our progress in vice has been rapid and alarming. Should we proceed in this manner, the next generation will be in a melancholy condition as to sentiments and morals.

There are indeed, and will be in every age, some persons of uniform serious character, who set their faces like a flint against corruptions of Christianity in the church, and against the preva lence of wickedness in the world. They will be useful. But it requires great love of the truth, as well as resolution, to maintain the purity of the gospel, and the self-denial of the cross, in times like the present. We bless God, at the same time, that he never leaves himself without witnesses. There always will be praying persons in the world, who will seriously walk before their families, in the fear of the Lord, or who will make their houses the places where he shall be worshipped and adored.

In considering the nature of prayer, we are to observe, that it makes a great and an important part of public worship. The primitive Christians employed their time, when together for religious purposes, “in breaking of bread and in prayers." To this duty Christ gave the following important encouragement: "If two of you shall agree as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven."

All religious societies, I believe, make it a part of their public or social worship. Time immemorial, they have begun and ended the sacred service with a solemn address to God. How proper it is, that we should ask divine assistance in the beginning, and solicit the blessing of God on the attempts that are made by public instruction, to make mankind wiser and better. We are taught, by an inspired writer, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known to God.

The design and uses of prayer are to be also considered, as useful parts of the subject.

The design of prayer is not to inform Deity of our situation, because he knows what things we have need of before we ask him, he being omniscient. "All things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Nor is prayer designed to prevail on God to alter his mind, or to do any thing he had not before determined to do. For "he is of one mind, and who can turn him?" With him is no variableness nor shadow of turning.

But, to come to the point, prayer, like all the other institutions of religion, is designed to promote our spiritual advantage. Considering the depravity of our hearts, and the many temptations that await us in the present life, we need continued helps in the way of duty. We want line upon line, and precept upon precept. Prayer is one of those means designed to keep up in our minds a sense of God, of our dependence on him, and gratitude to him for all the blessings that surround us. It is one of God's appointed means of carrying on the divine life in the soul. It is

the very breath of a new creature, nor can he live without it. Hence, though the Lord hath determined to bestow particular blessings on his people, he will be sought unto for these very blessings, because this is the only method in which he will bestow them. It is a duty calculated to affect the heart by bringing into view many of the most solemn and interesting objects, such as God himself, who is always the immediate object of prayer. A mind properly engaged in this duty, takes a comprehensive and affecting view of God in his being and perfections; in his glory, goodness, purity, justice, faithfulness; in his omniscience and omnipresence. Such a view of God is calculated to affect the heart, and cause the suppliant to take his own place. He views Christ as the medium of prayer. "For by him," says Paul, "we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." In this new and living way he draws near to God, and humbly hopes for audience and acceptance. Through faith, his prayers are offered upon that golden altar which sanctifieth both the gift and the giver, and maketh the comers thereunto perfect. When rightly engaged in this duty, he has solemn and affecting views of himself, his sins, guilt, dangers, weaknesses and wants; all which tend to make him importunate, and to humble him.

The good man has a great concern for the church when in her low state. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."

Nor is the pious heart less affected with the value of the souls of men. He is impressed with the thought that they are immortal, and must consequently be happy or miserable to all eternity. If Christians duly realized this truth, they would pray much for the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon a guilty world. If ministers realized the exposed situation of many of their hearers, and that themselves have shortly to give an account of their stewardship, would they not preach and pray as for eternity?

Many are the advantages resulting from prayer. 1. The good man feels it to be a solemn thing when in his closet, to be alone with his God. He enters this retired apartment and shuts his door, and then pours the desires of his inmost soul into the bosom of his Father, who seeth in secret, and who in his own time rewardeth him openly.

Here he is free from all restraint with respect to the manner and matter of his prayers, which he feels too much of when any persons are present. He can unbosom himself in this retired moment without reserve. Nor has he the same temptation to vanity and pride as when attempting to pray before his fellow worms, whose good opinion he is likely to overvalue.

2. Public prayer gives opportunity for those who are engaged in a common cause to supplicate the throne of grace at the same time, and with one heart. Such seasons serve to impress the mind with a solemn sense of dependence on God, of his all-wise and universal providence, and to raise and strengthen our confidence in him, Prayer, as well as all other institutions of reli

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gion, is calculated to promote the public good, as well as to increase the happiness of individuals. The union of so many Christians in the same duty, at the same time, thought to the pious mind. eth prayer has never encouraged the seed of Jacob to seek him in vain.

must be a pleasing

The God who hear

II. I pass to consider the circumstances that urge us to the duty, and our encouragements to engage in it.

1. A sense of personal weakness, wants and dangers urges us often to engage in this duty. At some times, our sense of these things is much more lively than it is at other times; but always it presses us to ask of God those things we need.

2. A sense of sin, of guilt, and of danger of everlasting ruin urges us to pray for pardon and cleansing; for sanctifying and preserving grace; for comfort and joy.

3. Gloomy and threatening prospects of evil drive us to God, that he would save us from what we fear, or sustain us when it shall have come upon us.

4. Afflictions in our persons or families have the same tendency. "In their affliction," said God by the prophet Hosea, "they will seek me early."

As a people, we have many public incentives to this duty. The whole prosperity of nations, as of individuals, is of God; hence the propriety of days of annual prayer, and of thanksgiving. How proper that we should open the season with prayer for the divine blessing, on our husbandry, fishery, navigation, &c. Our dependence on God is absolute, therefore we should acknowl