PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Duty Qlui FJicacy oj Prayer. 26:)
.)upplied with equal certainty by prayer? How few
would contain within any bounds of moderation
those passions and pleasures, whi~h at present are
checked only by disease or the dread of it, if prayer
would infallibly restore health? In short, if the effi.
cacy of prayer were ~:J constant and observable as to
be relied upon before-ba1Zd, it is easy to foresee that
the conduct of mankind would, in proportion to
that reliance, become careless and disorderly. It is
possible in the nature of things, that our prayers may,
in many instances, be efficacious, and yet our Experience
of their efficacy be dubious and obscure. Therefore,
if the light of nature instruct us by any other
arguments to hope for effect from prayer; still more,
if the scripmres authorize these hopes by pri>lnises
of acceptance; it seems not a sufficient reason for
calling in question the reality of sut:h effects, that our
observations of them are ambiguous : especially &ince
it appears probable., that this very ambiguity is necessary
to the happiness and safet} of human life. .
But some, whose obiections do not exclude all
prayer, are offended wiih the mode of prayer in use
amongst us, and with many of the subject .., which
are alruost universally introduced into public worship,
and recommended to private devotion. To pray for
particular favours by name, is to dictate, it has been
5aid, to divine wisdom and goodness : to intercede
for others, especially for whole nations and empires,
is still worse; it is to presume that we possess such
an interest with the Deity, as to be able, by our applications,
to bend the most important of his counsels;
and that the happiness of others, and even the pl·OSperity
of communities, is to depend upon this interest
and llpon our choice. Now how unequal soever
our knowledge of the divine economy may be to
the solution of this difficulty, which requires perhaps
a comprehension of the entire plan, and of all the ends
of God's moral government, to explain satisfactorily,
we can understand one thing concerning it, that it is
.after all nothing Dlorc than the lnaking of one man