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Now to God the Father, who hath made and preferved us; to God the Son, who hath faved us, and washed us from our Sins by his own Blood; and to God the Holy Ghoft, by whom the whole Body of the Church is governed and fanctified; three Perfons and one God, bleffed for ever, be all Honour, Praise and Glory, for ever, and ever, Amen,

SREMON

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SERMON V.

THE MOTIVES TO PRAYER.

JAMES V. 13. (former Part)

IS ANY AMONG YOU AFFLICTED? LET

HIM PRAY.

THAT Prayer hath been always looked upon as a neceffary, indispensable Duty; as a Means of obtaining our Defires; of procuring Bleffings; or removing Calamities; is evident from the Example, and univerfal Practice of Mankind. For although very foon after the Flood, almoft the whole World, funk into Superftition and Idolatry; though they forfook the true God, and fet up a Multitude of false ones, and adored Stocks and Stones, the Works of their own Hands; yet we find that they prayed

prayed and made and made Supplication to thefe for Safety and Succefs; and for Deliverance from all thofe Calamities, which they found themselves unable to divert. Though the Gods, whom they blindly worshipped, had not Strength fufficient in perilous Times, even to deliver themselves from Danger; yet they thought it their Duty to implore their Affiftance, and entreat their Help under the Miferies they suffered, And although they were grofsly mistaken in applying their Devotions to improper Objects, to them who by Nature were no Gods; yet they proceeded upon a natural and reasonable Foundation. For as they acknowledge a God, and an Almighty Providence prefiding over the Affairs of this lower World; fo confiftently with this Belief, they judged that all thofe Calamities. which befel them, were inflicted upon them, or at leaft permitted to happen, by the fame over-ruling Power, for Ends beft known to himself. As therefore they were affured who was the Cause of them, or by whofe Permiffion they came to pass, fo

they

they were likewise affured, that it was in his Power to remove them, when it fhould feem beft to his good Pleafure. And they were further convinced by the Light of Reason, that Prayer and Supplication were the most effectual Means of obtaining Relief; and befpeaking the Favour, of what they esteemed, the heavenly Powers. Confidering likewife the manifold Neceffities and Wants which human Life is accompanied with, and which it was not in the Power of Men to fupply, either by themfelves, or by the mutual Help and Affsistance of one another, they were directed by the Light of Nature, to apply themselves to fome Being of greater Strength and Ability than their own, who might be both able and willing to help and defend them. Experience taught them, that in this earthly Pilgrimage they were continually exposed to various Kinds of Mifery and Affliction; to innumerable Dangers and Difficulties, from which they could not deliver themfelves. They found likewife, that no hu

man

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