Men could obtain from him. And this Inference drawn from the whole, Verfe 7. And if fo, fhall not God so, avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

To allure us to the Practice of Prayer, Chrift propofeth the Efficacy of it with an unjust Judge. It had been fufficient to have introduced the Perfon of a just and benign Man; that fo his Justice, if compared with the divine Clemency, might demonftrate the Force of Prayer. For if a good Man receives thofe kindly who addrefs themfelves to him, how much more will God, the greatnefs of whofe Bounty exceeds our comprehenfion? It had been enough, as I before faid, to have propofed the Perfon of a juft Judge; but to represent a cruel, impious, inhu man Judge, unmerciful to others, but kind and easy to Supplicants; instructeth us, that even a wicked Nature may be by Prayer inclined to Lenity and Mercy. This therefore our Lord chose to do, more lively to exprefs the Force of Prayer.

When in the next place, he carrieth us from the Confideration of this fevere Judge, cruel by Nature, but mollified by Prayer, to the Confideration of God the Father, moft good, kind, gentle, merciful, flow to anger, and forgiving fins, bear

ing with infuperable Patience, the daily Affronts of Men, the Honours paid to his Adverfary the Devil, and the Contumelies therein offered to his own Son; what Success may we not then hope to our Prayers made to him, if they be prefented with a due Reverence, and neceffary Preparation? The unjuft Judge, al though he feared not God, nor regarded Man, yet did Juftice to the Widow for her Importunity. What Fear could not do, Prayer obtained. Neither Threats nor the Fear of Punishment could incline the Man to Juftice; yet the Cries and Supplications of a poor Widow softned his Nature, and made him tractable. If fhe could obtain fo much from a rough ill-natured Man; how much greater Kindnefs, Goodness and Love, may we not expect from God, who always defires to fhew Mercy, but never to exercise Severity; whofe very Threats and Punishments are intended for our good, and directed to deter us from Difobedience?

Let us once more review the Effect of Prayer upon this unjust Judge, that we may the better discover the infinite Kindnefs and Love of God to Men. If he, who never willingly and of his own accord did any good, changed on the fudden by the Petitions of a poor Suppli

cant,

cant, and was moved to Compaffion; much more will the importunate Prayers of Men be prevalent with him, whofe Nature includeth an Infinity of Goodness; and who dipenfeth the Emanations of that Goodness in vaft and conftant Benefits, even without Intreaty. For who doth not fee that the Light of the Sun, the Influences of Heaven, the Fruits of the Earth, Riches, Life and Health, are given by God to all Men, to the good and to the bad; and that only for his immenfe Kindnefs to Mankind? But if he fo favours, cherisheth and maintaineth those who ask him not, and are not perhaps fo much as fenfible that the Benefit proceedeth from him; what will he not bestow on thofe, who fpend a confiderable part of their Lives in Prayer and Supplication?

The last Reafon of doubting in Prayer is the Conscience of Unworthinefs in the Supplicant; which Confcience is either founded in the natural Unworthiness of Man, or arifes from the Senfe of his want of thefe Qualifications of Prayer, which are required to make it acceptable. The former falls in with that Doubt, which I last spoke of, and the latter is in the Power of every Man to remove; and to perfuade the Neceffity and Convenience of that Removal, hath been

the

the Subject of this Day's Discourse. I fhall therefore add no more upon this Head.

4

Upon the whole it doth appear, that the Duty of Prayer is neceffary, the Place of it to be regarded, the Posture not to to be neglected, the Conditions indispenfable, and the Succefs certain.

FH

SER

SERMON XVIII.

Preach'd on the 4th of May, 1690. at Lambeth Chapel.

ACTS X. 40, 41.

Him God railed up the third day, and Jhewed bim openly:

Not to all the People, but to Witnesses chofen before of God..

T

HE Refurrection of our Lord from the Dead, being fo illuftrious a Confirmation of the Truth of that Religion which he taught; fo undeniable an Argument of the Divinity and Authority of his Perfon; fo firm an Affurance of those Hopes which we conceive of our own Refurrection, deferveth at this Seafon more than a fingle Confideration. It is the Knowledge and Conviction of that, which chiefly eftablifheth the Faith of a Chriftian, continuVOL. II. E c

eth