prodigious greatneffe and horrible nature of their guilt, that they have not been able to pray, with any hopes of fucceffe, or accep tance a. And "of them, in all thefe points of religion?" To this, the oracle replied, "I am better pleafed with the prayer of "the Lacedæmonians than with all the coftly oblations "of of the Greeks.""The most vicious man might be "devout, fo far as victims could make him fo. But his "offerings would be regarded by the Gods, as bribes, "and his petitions as blafphemies." Si Deus eft animus, nobis ut carmina dicunt, Et Caftas juffit pondus habere preces. Cato. Satis deum coluit, quifquis imitatus eft; vis deum propitiari? bonus efto. Seneca, Cafta placent fuperis, cafta cum mente venite, Et caftis manibus fumite fontis aquam. Tibull. L. II. Ep. 1. Nec fecura quies illos, fimilifque fopori Detinet. Reddite depofitum, pietas fua fœdera firmet, Ovid. 1. de Arte amandi. Perfons guilty of fome notorious wickedneffe, have been Jometimes fo ftruck with the prodigious greatnesse and horrible nature of their guilt, that they have not been able to pray with any hopes of fucceffe, or acceptance.] Accordingly Shakespear, who is reckoned to have understood human nature as well as most men, has, more than once, reprefented perfons, with the guilt of mur ther And, indeed, unleffe men defire to promote their repentance, increase their virtuous difpofitions, and contract, or confirm an ther upon their fouls, as dying in the moft black and dreadful defpair, and utterly unable to pray. Cardinal Beaufort had been concerned in the murther of good Duke Humphry. And, when he was on the verge of death, King Henry the 6th paid him a vifit, and found him full of confufion and defpair. And, though the King prayed for him, he could not pray for himfelf. Peace to his foul (fais the King) if God's good pleafure be! Lord Cardinal, if thou thinkeft on heaven's bliffe, He dies and makes no fign. O God forgive him! When Mackbeth had juft murthered Duncan, the King, he is introduced, as faying, concerning the two chamberlains, whom his Lady had made drunk on purpose, Mack. "One cried God bleffe us! And Amen, the other: "As they had feen me with these hangman's hands. "Listening their fear, I could not fay Amen, "When they did fay, God bleffe us! Lady. "Confider it not fo deeply. Mack. "But wherefore could I not pronounce Amen? "I had moft need of bleffing; and Amen "Stuck in my throat. But the most noted paffage of this kind is the foliloquy of the King of Denmark, that had murthered Hamlet's father, who was his own brother; and then marridd the queen, and taken poffeffion of the Kingdom. "Oh, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven, "It hath the primal, eldest curse upon it; "A brother's murther! PRAY? alas! I cannot, "Tho' an habit of piety and holineffe, by their ftated devotions, they had even as good never pretend to them. But, if any perfon defires to cultivate a likeneffe to God, and and a conformity to his will, he cannot take a more proper method than that of frequent, fervent prayer. And F there . "Tho' inclination be as fharp as it will, My ftronger guilt defeats my ftrong intent, "And, like a man to double bufineffe bound, "I stand in paufe, where I fhall first begin, "And both neglect. What! if this curfed hand "Were thicker than itself with brother's blood? "Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens "To wash it white as fnow? Whereto ferves mercy, "But to confront the vifage of offence? "And what is in prayer, but this two-fold force, "To be fore-ftalled e're we come to fall, "Or pardon'd, being down? Then I'le look up. "My fault is paft. But oh, what form of prayer "Can ferve my turn? "Forgive me my foul mur"ther! "That cannot be, fince I am still poffefs'd "Of those effects, for which I did the murther, "My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. "May one be pardon'd, and retain the offence? "In the corrupted currents of this world, "Offence's gilded hand may fhove by justice. "And oft 'tis feen, the wicked prize itself "Buys out the law. But 'tis not fo above. "There is no fhuffling, there the action lies "In [its] true nature: we ourselves compell'd, "Even to the teeth and foreheads of our faults, "To give in evidence. What then? What refts? Try what repentance can. What can it not? "Yet what can aught, when one cannot repent? "Oh wretched ftate! Oh bofom black as death! "Oh limed foul, that ftrugling to be free, "Art more ingaged!" there is no man fo likely to be heard and accepted, as he that has this praying frame and temper of spirit". In a word, if prayer makes us better men, it of course renders us more acceptable unto God. And answers to prayer are not to be looked upon, as extorted by importunity, or as the confequence of much speaking; but as the effects and inftances of God's uniform and continued love to the pious and virtuous, which piety and virtue are wondrously promoted by daily prayer. Such holy men, wanting a thorough knowlege of futurity, may afk for things improper; but fuch things the wife and good God in mercy denies them. And HOR. Od. 23. 1. 3. Quin damus id fuperis, de magna quod dare lance c Permittes ipfis expendere numinibus, quid We admire those fentiments in a few heathen writers, which lie open to every Chriftian. Behold the advantages of Christianity! And blessed are they that keep his commandments! They have infinite wisdom and goodnee to choose for them; infinite power and unchangeablenesse ingaged for their welfare! In profperity and adverfity, they have a fure and faithful friend! In fickneffe, and at the hour of death, they know in whom they have trufted; and may enter upon another state undifmayed, commending their spirits into his hands, in whose glorious prefence they hope to spend the happy ages of eternity. Let this incourage us to be frequently upon our knees, that we may keep up a continual fenfe of God's prefence with us, and infpection over us. This will not fuffer us to lie long in any fin, nor to be fatisfied with low degrees of virtue, or holineffe. This will keep us ferious and fober-minded, and adminifter comfort to us, when our praying feafons, in this world, fhall be no more. |