severance. "Pray," says an apostle, "without ceasing;" not meaning, that we should defift from all our lawful and necessary employments, and to be, without intermission, exercised in this duty; but because he well knew, that frequency in the practice thereof, tended much to the nourishment, the growth, and improvement of all piety, he advises us never to decline our affiduities till our petitions are granted: By perfevering after this manner, we may be faid to pray continually. If God, for wife purposes, such as the trying of our faith, the improving of the grace of humility in us, or to teach us fubmiffion to his will, or to accustom us to patience, may not immediately appear to answer our requests; yet we must not despair, or give over our importunities; "Our eyes must wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us*."

Our Saviour has given us a most distinguished proof of the powerful efficacy of perfeverance. As the travelled through the coafts of Tyre and Sidon, an afflicted mother, most tenderly implores his help in behalf of her distressed daughter. Her calamity was deplorable, she was grievously vexed with a devil. The mother entreats his aid, with all the vehemence of importunity; but at first she receives no answer. His difciples are moved with her cries and tears, and and become advocates for her with their Master; but they are answered, "That he came only to perform miracles upon the lost sheep of the house of Ifrael." The fond parental affection prevents her from desisting from her purpose, she cafts herself down before him, and does him homage. In the anguish of her spirit, with tears the entreats, and with great earnestness solicits, " Lord, help me!" Her suit being contrary to the end and design of his present miffion, the is again denied, with a discouraging answer. She will not be denied; she still persists, with a steady resolution, to accomplish her purpose. She was convinced of his power; the had heard of his miracles; the had confidence in his goodness; the confesses her unworthiness to receive any benefit from him, but warmly folicits, that, as he was acquainted with a mother's tender feelings towards her children; and her daughter being a fit object for his compaffionate interference, her fituation being truly lamentable, the begged and hoped he would not shut the bowels of compaffion against a poor undeferving Canaanite; but entreated, that, from the abundance of that mercy with which the Ifraelites were indulged, the smallest portion of kindness would be allowed to her importunate petition. The mild, the amiable Benefactor of mankind, who never meant to give her fuit the denial, com

mends her faith, does fignal honour to her

perfeverance, perfeverance, and gratifies her application, by healing her afflicted daughter. Happy mother! What a noble reward did thy unwearied importunity obtain? What a respectable name hast thou acquired for thy affiduity? What a fingular lesson haft thou afforded to us in all ages, not to desist from petitioning what things are reafonable and needful for us, till we obtain them from heaven, as the reward of our perfeverance.

And is it not necessary, that we should bestow all the time we possibly can spare, upon so sacred an employment? Its real utility ought to induce us. Against our indigence, prayer certainly is the best remedy. We are wanting in every thing. Every one feels his own deficiencies. Every one is burdened with his own miferies. But, in the midst of all this spiritual poverty, we have an infallible resource to enrich us. Prayer, the grand refuge of the wretched, communicates what we stand in need of. Provided we are careful to folicit only what is really useful, we need but to ask, and to obtain. Does it not therefore concern our interests, to apply ourselves with diligence to this profitable exercise?

Our prayers, too, are often so defective, by distraction, by languor, and other failures, that they might rather tend to incenfe, than to please God, and to obtain his favours. This being the case, is it not just and equitable, that we make every new effort to perform our duty to better purpose. We know it to be the will of God, that, in all

our

our wants, we should call upon him; thould we not then, by practice and perfeverence, endeavour to conquer every reluctance, that militates against a cheerful obedience. Though God, for a while, may seem to hide his face from us, and may seem to give no attention to our complaints, we are not to be discouraged in persevering, to invoke him to be propitious. His fufpending of his mercies is no proof of unkindness; for, if the blessings we ask are truly defirable, they certainly are worthy our waiting for; nor can the refusal of a blessing, upon our first asking, be, with any justice, construed into a denial.

We court, with attention and affiduity, our superiors, for the trifling advantages they can bestow in this life. We meet with repulfes and denials; yet, with renewed industry, and fresh hopes, we again return to weary them with our importunities. We furmount every difficulty; we submit to affronts tamely; we attend, with fatigue and expence, for years patiently, for things of inconfiderable consequence; and, perhaps, for all our care and labour, are rewarded with difappointment. From whence is all this diligent perseverance, but from the value we put upon the things we aim at, and the eagerness of our defires.

Are the things of this world fo highly to be prized, fo obstinately to be pursued? Are the wealthy and powerful among men, fo patiently to be folicited, so unweariedly

to

to be followed, for the little they can, and are unwilling to bestow? And are the great concerns of the future world so undervalued, that they require neither attention nor industry? Do we persevere in our applications to men, and can we sit down in disgust, and perhaps in despair, because the Almighty Author of every good and perfect gift, denies our first and fuperficial application! If we valued his mercies as we ought, and knew their invaluable consequence, no indifference would hinder our persevering application for them. If we esteemed spiritual blessings, as we do temporal enjoyments, no labour would fatigue, no care would disturb, no fainting nor impatience, would mar our indefatigable exertions to obtain them.

We

Convinced, that God only suspends for a time the answering of our prayers; and for the purpose, too, of increasing our virtues, and of making us more worthy to receive his blessings; and not because he intends entirely to refuse and deny us. ought to approach his August Presence with confidence, in the full assurance, that, when our difpofitions are fit to obtain, he will be willing to reward, with his best gifts, our unremitting perseverence.

Such are the essentials that give efficacy to our prayers, and render them acceptable with God. While, at the fame time, however, we put up our petitions with a steady faith towards God, fo must they al

fo