BOOK V.

DUTIES TOWARDS GOD.

CHAP. I.-DIVISION OF THESE DUTIES.

IN one sense every duty is a duty towards God; since it is his will alone that makes it a duty. But here only, those duties are meant, of which God is exclusively the object.

It is certainly possible that any kind of outward worship may be less acceptable to God, than that internal devotion which silently sees and admires the Creator's wisdom and benevolence; looks to him as the giver of all good; and resorts to him as a present help in every trouble. Yet the former (which though excelled, is not superseded by the latter) comprises the only duties of which the moralist can take any cognizance.

Our external duties towards God consist of active worship and passive reverence. For example, on the Sabbath worship will lead us to church, and reverence will induce us to refrain from traveling.

Divine worship is made up of adoration, thanksgiving, and prayer; the last of which, embracing in fact the two former, will form the subject of our present inquiry.

CHAP. II.—DUTY AND EFFICACY OF PRAYER, AS SEEN BY THE LIGHT OF NATURE.

In all ages and countries, when one man desires to obtain any thing of another, he betakes himself to entreaty. Now, as what is universal must be natural, it is fair to infer that God expects at least the same entreaty from man, that man requires from his fellow-men. And a similar remark is equally applicable to thanksgiving for a favor received.

1 What is the ultimate object of all our duties?
2 What, in particular, are called duties towards God?
3 Which of these duties are treated of by the moralists ?
4 Does this embrace the most acceptable acts of duty?

5 What are our external duties towards God? Illustrate.

6 of what is divine worship composed?

7 What is by general consent the best means for obtaining a favor? 8 What follows from this?

Prayer is also necessary for preserving in the minds of mankind a sense of God's agency, and of their own depend

But as no one can reasonably pray to a being from whom he expects to gain nothing, the duty of prayer must depend on the expectation of its efficacy. To this expectation, however, it has been objected, that, if God is all-wise and allgood, he will give us what we need without our asking; and if we ask what he knows we do not stand in need of, we cannot expect to obtain it even by our prayers. To this it may be replied, that God may, consistently with his wisdom and goodness, grant to entreaty, what, without such entreaty, might with equal wisdom and goodness be withheld. But then the objector inquires, what is the virtue of prayer that can make that favor to be consistent with wisdom, which would not have been equally so without it? Now, as in solving this doubt, consists the whole difficulty of the question, the following probabilities are offered for consideration.

1. A benefit obtained without asking, is received without gratitude; when, if it is granted to prayer, it is more apt, on that very account, to produce good effects on the one obliged. 2. God may grant to entreaty, what without entreaty would be withheld, merely with the view of keeping alive in the mind of the supplicant a sense of dependance on the Deity. And, 3. There will be a natural tendency in a praying person to conform to the divine will; and therefore the disuse of it would tend to the increase of moral depravity.

But, after all, whether these or any other motives may influence the Deity to grant the petition, is not the question. It is sufficient that we have shown to the supplicant that there is no inherent absurdity in conceiving that God will grant to prayer what he would otherwise withhold. To inquire further is not necessary for devotion, but rather inconsistent with it.

But though it is right that prayer should be offered to God, it must not be offered with the same views as when we

9 For what else is prayer necessary?

10 On what does the duty of prayer depend?

11 What has been supposed of this expectation by some?

12 How may this objection be answered?

13 To what other inquiry may this reply give rise? 14 What is the first answer to it? The second?

The third?

15 What has been the object in using these three arguments?

address a fellow-creature; viz. to acquaint him with our wants, or to tease him by importunity, and to lead him to do either what he ought to have done before, or what he ought not to do at all.

Whatever may be the considerations which actuate the Deity to grant a favor to a suppliant, which he would withhold from another who would not ask for it, and however inscrutable or inconceivable those considerations may be to man; there is no doubt that such a difference in the conduct . of God is not in the least at variance with the strict rectitude and expediency of the measure, if we allow that he may see, in the various acts and feelings of the different individuals, enough to justify such a difference in his own behavior towards them.

The objection to prayer supposes, that an all-wise Being cannot be led to change his resolution in consequence of entreaties. But if wisdom consists in effecting the most beneficial ends by the best means, it can be no part of perfect wisdom not to change, if the change produced by entreaties be itself one of those best means: we say, one of those means, though the objection rests on the supposition, that there is only one mode of acting for the best; a supposition not warranted by our knowledge of universal nature. deed, when we assert that God must act in a particular way, we use language that virtually denies free agency to God, by subjecting him to a necessity of abiding by only one rule.

In

But it is said that we have not in our experience, the proof of the efficacy here ascribed to prayer. To this, it is replied, that prayer may be efficacious, though the experience of such efficacy be obscure; and it may be added, that it is inconsistent with true goodness, to disturb too much, in answer to prayer, the order of the second causes appointed in the universe. For if the efficacy were so observable that

16 In what respects does prayer to God differ from entreaties to our fellow beings?

17 Does the Lord's answer to prayer affect his rectitude of purpose? 18 What is supposed in the objection to prayer?

19 Is the supposition correct?

20 On what other supposition does the objection rest? Is that correct? 21 What objection is asserted to be founded on our experience? 22 May appeals to our experience on this subject be relied upon? 23 Would it be proper that answers to prayers should always be observable?

it might be relied on beforehand, the consequence would be the manifest mischief of producing a careless reliance on prayers alone, instead of calling into exercise the other duties which man is required to fulfil. And all the checks to inordinate pleasure, founded at present on the dread of subsequent pain, would be destroyed, if prayer could infallibly remove the pain. Since, then, this ambiguity respecting the efficacy of prayer is necessary for the happiness of man, we have no right to ground the denial of such effects on the nonproduction of absolute proof.

Other objections to prayer are directed, not against the use of it, but an alleged abuse, in consequence of the introduction of improper subjects into forms of public and private worship. And, it has been said, that to pray for particular favors is to dictate to Divine Wisdom, and savors of presumption; and to intercede for other individuals or for nations, is to presume that their happiness depends upon our choice, and that the prosperity of communities hangs upon our interest with the Deity. But how ignorant soever we may be of the whole plan of God's moral government, the objector should know, that in such prayers, we merely ask for one man to be made the instrument of another's happiness an event in accordance with the general course of human affairs. Why, then, may not our happiness be made to depend in some cases on the prayers of others, as it really does on their acts? As the caprice of one person can produce the misery of many, why may not the prayers of one individual operate, through the power of God, to avert a calamity from multitudes ?

CHAP. III.-DUTY AND EFFICACY OF PRAYER, AS REPRE

SENTED IN SCRIPTURE.

The arguments hitherto adduced in favor of prayer are chiefly of a negative kind; and merely go to prove from the light of nature, that the efficacy of prayer is not inconsistent with the attributes of the Deity. The proof that they are actually efficacious must be obtained from the Scriptures alone; where, with the positive command to pray, we are 24 What would be the effect of it?

25 Against what methods of prayer do some object?

26 What is remarked upon this objection?

27 What do our arguments in the proceeding chapter go to prove ? 28 Where only can we find arguments of a positive kind?

as positively informed of God's acceptance of prayer. But although without such assurances of acceptance we could have no motive to pray; yet even they do not teach us to place such dependence on prayer, as to neglect other obligations, or to expect, as evidence of the efficacy of prayer, the occurrence of events at variance with the order of human affairs.

The Scriptures not only affirm the propriety of prayer in general, but furnish also precepts or examples, which justify some topics and modes of prayer that have been thought exceptionable. The texts applicable to this subject may be arranged under the five following heads.

1. To prayer in general. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find;"—" If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?"-"Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."-"Serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer." "Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.""I will, therefore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.' "Pray without ceasing." Matt. vii. 7. 11. Luke xxi. 36. Rom. xii. 12. Phil. iv. 6. 1 Thess. v. 17. 1 Tim. ii. 8.

II. Examples of prayer for particular favors by name. "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me."-" Night and day praying exceedingly, that we might see your face, and perfect that which is lacking in your faith." 2 Cor. xii. 8. 1 Thess. iii. 10.

III. Directions to pray for natural or public blessings. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."—" Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field."-"I exhort, therefore, that first of all,

29 Of what extent is the Scripture encouragement upon this subject?

30 How strong is Scripture proof in favor of prayer?

31 Under what heads may the texts be arranged? 32 Mention some relative to prayer in general.

33 Mention some relative to particular favors. 34 Some for public blessings.