have thought themselves bound to perform.The fecond is private prayer; when we enter into our clofet, and fhut the door, and pray in fecret to our Father -The third is what is alluded to in the text-having God in all our thoughts.This laft is the kind of prayer, which I mean at present to explain. I fhall examine, first, the nature; and fecondly, the advantages of it.

By having God in all our thoughts, I mean encouraging in ourselves that heavenly difpofition, which mixes Deity, as it were, with the most common concerns of life. If any little fuccessful event arises (I speak of the smallest events of life) the first fentiment is an ejaculation of praise to God; accompanied perhaps with a pious hope, that its iffue may be morally improving. The fame pious hope, accompanied with an ejaculation fignifying perfect refignation, attends every little finister event-When any thing is done, it is the first question of the heart, Is this pleafing to God?-When any thing is left undone, How far, O God, am I guilty in thy fight? Cleanse me from my fecret faults. Does any little difficulty arife?-Guard me, O God, with thy good fpirit! Have I used a wrong expref

EE 4

expreffion-Set a guard, O God, upon my lips!

When we thus mix God and religion, with all the little offices of life, it appears, that in the best sense, we have our converfation in heaven ; and fulfil the precept of doing every thing, whe ther we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, to the glory of God. This conftant attention to our heavenly Father, David expreffes thus: As the

eyes of fervants look unto the hand of their mafters; and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; even fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. Let the fceptic fcoff: but let us perfuade ourselves, that by thus mixing God, and religion, with the common affairs of life, we obey that God, who has graciously informed us, he has an eye upon our minutest concerns and that not even a Sparrow falls to the ground without his concurrence.

LET us next turn to the special advantages of this mode of worship.

The firft is, that it tends more, perhaps, than any other species of devotion, to form the heart. All men are, more or lefs, inclined to the opus operatum. It is by no means folely confined to popery. Though we should be impreffed on all oc

cafions,

cafions, when we pray to God, with the highest reverence, yet we are too apt, both when we pray at church, and in our closets, to make our prayers matter of form. Do the best we can, they are often cold, and languid. The occur rences of life are too apt to obtrude themselves But when we have God in all our upon us. thoughts, the occurrences of life make up our very prayers. They furnifh materials for them.

The diffenter therefore ufes no form: the minifter keeps up the attention of the congregation by an extempore prayer: which would certainly. have the preference, if every minifter was properly qualified for this fervice; and if a congregation could readily follow an extempore prayer. But, in fact, I think the chief difference with regard to form, between them and us is, that their forms are gotten by heart; and ours are writ

ten

* On particular occafions, I think, the diffenter has the advantage. An occafion of this kind I recollect: It was in the beginning of the year 1786, when the firft fleet failed to Botany Bay. The ships ftood through the Needles, which are oppofite to Lymington. It was on a Sunday-morning when the people were affembling at church; and the diffenting minister took a very juft occafion, as the fleet failed past, to defire the prayers of the congregation for the fuccefs of the expedition.

I am not fond of comparing one duty with ano ther; as it often throws a depreciating exception, where it is not intended. And yet it is not easy in fome cafes, without a comparison, to get at the truth. Public devotion, clofet devotion, and the devotion here examined, are all certainly highly good; and all prescribed by our religion; but the mind is certainly in a fitter frame for devotion, when it breaks out in its own fpontaneous effufions; than when it is excited by the found of a bell.

Another advantage, which attends this mode of prayer, is the great eafiness of it. We carry the temple along with us. We need no temple,

but the heart. We have not even the trouble of entering into our closet, and shutting the door. We may every where—in all companies-amidst any business-pray in fecret to our Father.

THIS text is frequently in the mouth of the Solfidian. "As the tree," fays he, "is known by its fruit, fo is a man's faith by his works. If his faith be found, his works will of course be good."And thus far the doctrine is certainly juft, and scriptural. But the Solfidian goes a step farther. He lays the stress upon faith, as a justifying principle; and confiders works in no other light, than as a test of that principle. In this I cannot think him quite fcriptural. That good works are a test of the purity of a man's faith, is very true: but that they ought to be confidered in a fomewhat higher light, is, I think, true alfo; and this very text may be brought to prove it. . The tree, according to his own interpretation, ftands for faith-the fruit for works. Now of these two, the tree, and its fruit, which is most excellent? Which is the cause, and which the effect?Which is the mean, and which the

end?