thing in it, that would make us think Socrates hinted at himself, when he spoke of this Divine Teacher, who was to come into the world, did he not own that he himself was in this refpect as much at a loss, and in as great diftress, as the rest of mankind. Some learned men look upon this conclufion as a prediction of our Saviour, or at leaft that Socrates, like the High-prieft, prophefied unknowingly, and pointed at that Divine Teacher, who was to come into the world fome ages after him. However that may be, we find that this great Philofopher faw, by the light of reafon, that it was suitable to the goodness of the Divine Nature, to fend a person into the world, who fhould inftruct mankind in the duties of religion, and, in particular, teach them how to pray. Whoever reads this abftract of Plato's Discourse on Prayer, will, I believe, naturally make this reflection; that the great Founder of our religion, as well by his own example, as in the form of prayer which he taught his disciples, did not only keep up up to those rules which the light of nature had fuggefted to this great Philofopher, but inftructed his disciples in the whole extent of this duty, as well as of all others. He directed them to the proper object of adoration, and taught them, according to the third rule above mentioned, to apply themselves to him in their closets, without show or oftentation; and to worship him in spirit and in truth. As the Lacedæmonians, in their form of prayer, implored the Gods in general to give them all good things fo long as they were virtuous, we ask in particular that our offences may be forgiven as we forgive those of others. If we look into the fecond rule, which Socrates has prescribed, namely, that we should apply ourselves to the knowledge of fuch things as are best for us, this too is explained at large in the doctrines of the Gospel, where we are taught in several instances to regard those things as curses, which appear as bleffings in the eye of the world; and, on the contrary, to esteem thofe things as bleffings, which which to the generality of mankind appear as curfes. Thus in the form which is prescribed to us we only pray for that happinefs which is our chief good, and the great end of our existence, when we petition the Supreme Being for the coming of his kingdom; being folicitous for no other temporal bleffing, but our daily fufstenance. On the other fide, we pray against nothing but Sin, and against Evil in general, leaving it with Omnifcience to determine what is really fuch. If we look into the firft of Socrates's rules of prayer, in which he recommends the above-mentioned form of the ancient Poet, we find that form not only comprehended, but very much improved in the petition, wherein we pray to the Supreme Being, that his will may be done; which is of the fame force with that form which our Saviour used, when he prayed against the most painful and moft ignominious of deaths, Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.-Thiscomprehenfive petition is the most humble, as well as the moft prudent, that can be be offered up from the creature to his Creator, as it fuppofes the Supreme Being wills nothing but what is for our good, and that he knows better than ourfelves what is fo. L. SECTION SECTION V. ADVANTAGES OF REVELATION ABOVE -QUICQUID DIGNUM SAPIENTE BONOQUE EST. HOR. RELIGION may be confidered under two general heads. The firft comprehends what we are to believe, the other what we are to practise. By thofe things which we are to believe, I mean whatever is revealed to us in the Holy Writings, and which we could not have obtained the knowledge of by the light of nature: by the things which we are to practise, I mean all thofe duties, to which we are directed by reason or natural religion. The first of these I shall distinguish by the name of Faith; the fecond, by that of Morality. If we look into the more ferious part of mankind, we find many who lay fo great a ftress upon Faith, that they neglect Morality; and many who build fo much upon Morality, that they do not pay a due re gard |