"which may make outward actions regular "but need not affect the inward, and con 66 sequently many sins may pass unnoticed in "the present constitution of the world.” This, he contends, is an argument for a general judgment. After establishing the true meaning of the text, (which he has chosen from the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, and tenth verse of the fifth chapter), he declares, that the drift of his discourse is to shew the awfulness of that judgment. Into an account of this last, this most momentous trial, he then enters, describing the persons themselves, and the tribunal before which they shall be called, with all attendant circumstances. Lastly, Lastly, he draws the attention to the Judge and all his attributes; and closes his subject with the final sentence. 66 "In that great multitude we shall meet "all those, who by their example and their holy precepts, have, like tapers, enkindled "with a beam of the Sun of Righteousness enlightened us, and taught us to walk in "the paths of justice. There we shall see "all those good men whom God sent to "follies and inhuman practices: and when "we espy the good man, that chid us for our "last drunkenness or adulteries, it shall then "also be remembered, how we mocked at "counsel; and were civilly modest at reproof, "but laughed when the man was gone, and "accepted it for a religious compliment, and "took our leaves, and went and did the same "again. But then things shall put on another "face, and that we smiled at here, and slighted 66 fondly, shall then be the greatest terror in "the world; men shall feel that they once "laughed at their own destruction, and re'jected health, when it was offered by a man "of God upon no other condition, but that "they would be wise, and not be in love with "death." But" every sinner that repents "causes joy to Christ, and the joy is so great "that it runs over and wets the fair brows "and beauteous locks of cherubim and se raphim, and all the angels have a part of "that banquet; then it is that our blessed Lord feels the fruits of his holy death, "the acceptation of his holy sacrifice, the "graciousness of his person, the return of "his prayers. f First and second Sermons on Advent, p. 3 and 9. The three following sermons are grounded upon the thirty-first verse of the ninth chapter of St. John's gospel, and are upon the "Re"turn of Prayers:" or, " the Conditions of a "prevailing Prayer." After some preliminary observations upon the benefit of this duty, and yet the reluctance of man to take advantage of the benefit, he considers that God does not hear sinners while they continue such; that they are neither fit to pray for themselves nor other men. That their prayers are an abomination to God, and an act of profanation. That a wicked person, while he remains in that condition, is not the natural object of pity. And that this great truth is further shewn by the necessary and fit appendages of prayer required in holy Scripture, as abstinence, temperance, charity, and chastity, and that we need not wonder that men pray so seldom, since where these are not found, there can be no inclination for so consolatory a service. He then enters upon the consideration of the prayers of a good person, and the various circumstances which tend to hinder them from being acceptable; and lastly, he points out what degrees and circumstances of piety are required to make us fit to be intercessors for others, and to pray for them with probable effect. He shews, that no prayers for others can further prevail, than to remove the person to the next stage in order to felicity; that as the person must be capable for whom we pray, so they that pray for others must be persons extraordinary, as persons of extraordinary piety, office, dignity, employment, or designation; that on this ground, there is an infinite necessity, therefore, that ministers of religion should be very holy. And he concludes, by shortly considering the signs of the acceptance of our prayers. " Anger he produces as the first thing that hinders prayer from obtaining its effects. For prayer is the peace of the spirit, the "stillness of our thoughts, the evenness, of "recollection, the seat of meditation, the rest "of our cares, and the calm of our tempest; prayer is the issue of a quiet mind, of un"troubled thoughts, it is the daughter of "charity, and the sister of meekness; and he "that prays to God with an angry, that is, "with a troubled and discomposed spirit, is "like him that retires into a battle to medi"tate, and sets up his closet in the outer quarters of an army, and chuses a frontier દ "garrison to be wise in. Anger is a perfect "alienation of the mind from prayer, and therefore is contrary to that attention, "which presents our prayers in a right line "to God. For so have I seen a lark rising "from his bed of grass, and soaring upwards singing as he rises, and hopes to get to "heaven, and climb above the clouds; but "the poor bird was beaten back with the "loud sighings of an eastern wind, and his "motion made irregular and inconstant, de"scending more at every breath of the tem pest, than it could recover by the libration "and frequent weighings of his wings; till "the little creature was forced to sit down "and pant, and stay till the storm was over, ⚫ and then it made a prosperous flight, and "did rise and sing as if it had learned musick " and motion from an angel, as he passed "sometimes through the air about his mini"steries here below: so is the prayer of a "good man; when his affairs have required business, and his business was matter of r a winged messenger of heaven h "When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, Shakespeare, Rom. and Jul. act 2. sc. z. |