by that perfect model; and with pious industry strive to approach nearer to his nature, who for this purpose mercifully condefcended to affume ours.

Let us often recollect and review the facred history of his life; let us meditate on the various paffages of it, record them in our breafts, write them upon the table of our hearts; that our fouls may take the impreffion of his holiness, and the fame mind may be in us which was in CHRIST JESUs. And though it is not poffible to arrive at his immaculate perfection, or to purify ourselves as he was pure; yet we may be always approaching nearer to his unfpotted purity and perfection; may be always improving our own virtues by copying his; and though we cannot equal him, we may excel ourfelves. Though he no longer in his human nature dwells and converfes upon earth; yet, in his example, he still teaches and exhorts to righteoufnefs. In the fcriptures he still appears, though not perfonally, as to the Jews; yet he there still exhiS 4

bits

bits his miracles, repeats his divine precepts, inculcates the pureft virtues, inftructs us by his heavenly wisdom, speaks as never man fpake, and manifests himself to our Reason as plainly as he did to their Senfes.

Bleffed, doubtless, were they whose fenses were conscious of his prefence; bleffed the eyes that faw, and the ears that heard him: but yet more blessed are we who have not feen, if we believe and obey his doctrine; more blessed we, if we hear the word of GOD, and keep it.

I fhall conclude this difcourfe with a collect of our church."O LORD, who "haft given thine only Son to be unto us

both a facrifice for fin, and also an en“ fample of godly life, give us grace, that

we may always most thankfully receive "that his ineftimable benefit, and alfo daily "endeavour to follow the bleffed steps of "his most holy life, through the fame "Jefus Chrift our LORD. To whom, with "the Father, and Holy Spirit," &c.

SER

SERMON XVIII.

Requifites of PRAYER.

JAM. iv. 3.

Ye afk, and receive not, because ye afk amifs,

T

HERE is hardly any principle of religion more generally admitted, than that the CREATOR of the world ought to be worshipped by his intelligent creatures. It is the clear dictate of nature, that we should address him, the SoVEREIGN of the univerfe, for the supply of our neceffities and wants; that we fhould offer to him the facrifice of a devout heart, and the humbleft acknowledgments

ledgments of our dependence on him. The univerfal practice of all nations, and that impulse which all men feel to apply to him in seasons of distress, clearly point out the sense of nature in this particular. Prayer is the nearest approach that, in our present ftate, we can make to the Deity. To neglect or fhun this duty, is to fhun all approaches to GOD; it is to withdraw, as far as may be, from his prefence and protection; it is to disclaim all intercourse with him, to difown our dependence, to difavow our obligations, and give up the expectations of his favour.

Prayer, then, being both a reasonable and important duty, we ought to inquire, How we may perform it in a right manner; how we may render ourselves and our prayers acceptable to the Object of our worship: for though we ask, we shall not receive, if we afk amifs. Let us confider, therefore, with what qualifications or difpofitions of mind we should approach our Maker when we offer our addreffes to him.

I. Atten

I. Attention and fervency are principally requifite to render our prayers acceptable to God, and beneficial to ourfelves. If we draw near to him with our lips. only, whilst our heart is far from him; if we attend the duties of his worship with a languid, abfent, and inattentive mind, in compliance only with form and custom, without due impreffions of the facredness of the fervice in which we are engaged; can we expect that fuch fuperficial unmeaning homage can recommend us to his favour, or that he will accept the bare refemblance or mock reprefentation of prayer?

It is not the service of the lips, it is the homage of the mind, which God regards. He fees and approves even the filent devotions of the heart, which need not be formed into vocal prayers to inform him of our neceffities; but only to aid our own weakness, and to keep the mind more fteady and attentive to the duty we are paying to our CREATOR. When we approach the throne of grace, and address

the