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Hence says the Psalmist, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” When a saint sincerely offers up his desires to God for a certain favor, God views his prayer as a reason, why he should grant his request. And when a number of saints unite in praying for any public bles sing, God views their united petitions as so many rea sons, why he should grant it. It is true, indeed, God does not always answer the prayers of his friends, because he often sees stronger reasons for denying, than for granting their requests. His perfect benevolence is under the direction of his unerring wisdom, which always leads him to act according to the highest reason. So far, therefore, as the prayers of his people are consistent with the general good, just so far they are always a powerful and prevailing reason, for the bestow, ing of divine favors,

We ought to consider, in the next place, that though God formed all his purposes from eternity; yet he formed them in the view of all the pious petitions, which should ever be presented to him, and gave them all the weight that they deserved, in fixing his determinations. In determining to forgive the idolatry of Israel, he had respect to the request of Moses. In determining to cause the sun and moon to stand still, he had respect to the petition of Joshua. In determining to release Peter from prison, he had respect to the pressing importunity of the church. Indeed, all his purposes, which relate to the bestowment of solicited favors, were formed under the weight and influence of those prayers, which he intended to answer. He adapted preventing, preserving, delivering mercies to the prayers of his people, and fixed a connexion between their prayers, and his special interpositions.

This leads us, in the last place, to consider pious prayers as the proper means of bringing about the

events with which they are connected in the divine purpose. Though God is able to work without means, yet he has been pleased to adopt means into his plan of operation. And according to this mode of operation, means are absolutely necessary in order to accomplish the designs of God. As he designed to save Noah and his family, by the instrumentality of the ark; so it was absolutely necessary that the ark should be built. As he designed to deliver Israel by the hand of Moses; so it was absolutely necessary, that Moses should be preserved by the daughter of Pharaoh. And as he designed to save Paul from shipwreck by the exertion of the sailors; so it was absolutely necessary that the sailors should abide in the ship. In the same manner, the prayers of saints are the necessary means of procuring those favors, or of bringing about those events, which God has connected with their petitions. This will appear from a single consideration. If prayers did not really operate as means, in procuring divine favors; then it would be as proper, to pray for divine blessings after they are granted, as before. But this we all know to be absurd. Suppose a good man hears that his friend at a distance is dangerously sick; it is certainly proper that he should pray for his life. But supposing he is credibly informed, a few weeks after, that his friend is entirely restored to health; it is certainly improper that he should continue to pray for the removal of his sickness. The reason is, while his friend was sick, his prayers might be the means of procuring his recovery; but after that event had actually taken place, his prayers could no longer operate as means of bringing it to pass. Hence it appears, that the immutability of the divine purposes, instead of destroying, actually establishes the necessity and prevalence of prayer. The more indisso

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lubly God has fixed the connexion between our pray ing and his hearing, the more we are bound and encouraged to pray. After God had promised his people in Babylon, that he would restore them to their former prosperity, he expressly said, "I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." But who can imagine, that God's promise to bless his people in answer to prayer, should destroy the propriety or the energy of their prayers for promised blessings?

IMPROVEMENT.

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1. If it be the design of prayer to move God to bestow temporal and spiritual favors; then there is a propriety in praying for others as well as for ourselves. We find intercession to be much inculcated in the word of God. The Psalmist calls upon saints to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem;" that is, for the general prosperity of the church. Paul represents intercession as the first and principal branch of prayer. "I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." And James enjoins the duty of intercesssion upon every christian. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another." Those, who possess universal benevolence, find a peculiar pleasure in praying for others. And it appears from Scripture, that the most eminent saints have always been the most remarkable intercessors at the throne of divine grace. But were it not the design of prayer to move God to shew mercy, there would be no propriety nor importance in praying for any but ourselves. If, as many pious divines have taught, the only purpose of prayer is to prepare ourselves to receive or to be denied divine favors, then there seems to be no ground or reason to pray for the temporal or spiritual

good of our fellow men. Our prayers can have no tendency to prepare them for either the smiles or frowns of heaven. If we pray for their outward prosperity; this can have no tendency to prepare them for the reception of external blessings. If we pray for their deliverance from outward evils; this can have no tendency to prepare them for the removal of afflictions. If we pray for their right improvement of divine favors or divine judgments; this can have no tendency to inspire their hearts with either gratitude or submission. Indeed, our prayers for others can answer no other purpose, than that of moving the Deity to do them good. Take away this design of intercession, and it ceases to have any meaning, and to answer any valuable end. But if, as we have shown, it be the proper design of prayer to move the Deity to bestow favors; then the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous may have a powerful tendency to draw down divine bles, sings upon others, as well as upon themselves. Upon this ground, intercession appears to be as proper and important, as any other branch of prayer.

2. We are led to conclude, from what has been said upon this subject, that we have as fair an oppor tunity of obtaining divine favors, as if God were to form his determinations, at the time we present our petitions. Many imagine, that it is a great discouragement to prayer, that God has determined from all eternity, what he will grant and what he will deny tothe children of men. But it appears from what has been said, that our prayers may have all the influence now, in procuring divine favors, that they could have, if God were now to form his purposes respecting us. For he actually formed his eternal purposes in the full view of all our prayers, and gave them all the weight they deserved. It is as strictly true, therefore, that our

prayers move him to grant us favors, as if he determined to grant them, at the time of our praying. Hence we have as fair an opportunity of prevailing upon the Deity to grant us any particular future blessings, as if we knew he had yet to form his purpose of granting or denying it. This may be easily and clearly illustrated. Suppose two men are condemned to die. Suppose a certain day is set for each of them to plead for pardon before the king. Suppose each criminal has a friend, who unknown to him, goes to the king before the day appointed, and states his case exactly as it is, and offers all the reasons for his being pardoned, that can be offered. And suppose the king, upon hearing the pleas made in favor of each criminal, absolutely determines to pardon one, and to executé the other. Let me now ask, Can these fixed determinations of the king be any disadvantage to the criminals, when they actually make their own pleas before him on the day appointed? Thus God foresaw from eternity all his suppliants, and all their supplications, and gave them all the weight that an infinitely wise and benevolent Being ought to give them. Their prayers, therefore, avail as much as it is possible they should avail, were God to form his determinations, at the time they stand praying before him. But here perhaps, it may be said, there is no occasion of their praying at all, if God foresaw their prayers from eternity and fixed his purposes in connexion with them. The answer to this is easy. When God determines to do any thing one way, he equally determines not to do it another way. When he determines to bring about any event by prayer, he equally determines not to bring about that event without prayer. Thus when he determined to deliver his people from the Babylon. ish captivity, in answer to the prayers of Daniel, Ezra,

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