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    petitions which I have selected ? Are they sure that what the New , Testament says of prayer and of consequent divine communications , was intended for all future ages , as well as for the

    miraculous age in which it was delivered ? If they are not certain of this , mny they not , by misapplying the Scriptures , have become " wise above what is written , " or rather , unwise respecting what is written , and thus have inculcated sentiments

    which are mischievously erroneous , and excited expectations which cannot be . realised ? Those who in any way lead the public devotion , in ray opinion , take on themselves great responsibility , and of this I highly applaud the Warrington Compilers

    for having been , so ' fully aware . In order to prevent rnisconeeption , I shall just remark that , although I cannot perceive the probability of an answer , properly so called , being , in these days 9 given to any petition , yet I am as fully convinced , as any one can be , of the tendency which the

    expression of our wishes for good disposi lions naturally has to strengthen and confirm these dispositions * , and , I will further add , that I have no doubt that this effect is often produced when these desires are expressed in 'the form of prayer to Almighty God for them : at the same time it

    seems 10 me clear , that the petitioner deceives himself when lie ascribes these effects to a particular divine agency , when they are " nothing more than the result of the general laws of God , or , in other words , of the natural

    operations of his own mind under the influence of strong wishes and desires , and might , 1 think , ht » obtained by means much more simple and direct than that of supplication . In the nexl page , of the same Number" of the Repository , H . T . appears as the advocate of prayer and of Divine Influence .

    Feeling , as I do , the advantages of all the other parts of devotion , 1 must confess that I do not think the devotional spirit requires surh expressions as those which I have selected from

    the Liverpool Hymns , wliirh H . T . approves , and of whirl * he thinks it would be easy to give a rational and satisfactory explanation . This explanation , I much regret , he has not given , as it might have thrown much

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    fight on the subject of prayer , and , at the same time , on tjhat pf Divine Influence . It appears to me that all the phenomena of the universe , whether rna *

    terial , intellectual or moral , are the effects of the operation of what are called the lavys of nature } that is , of the qualities and properties of the materials of which the universe is composed , and all these were created

    by Almighty God , in order to acconaplish the grand plans of his benevolence . These laws , however , excepting in miraculous times , seem to act uniformly , regularly , and without any interruption , even from any interference , direction or controul , of their

    great Eprmer himself . Providence meaning nothing more than those regular operations , affecting all brings , however great , or however small , and producing sometimes happiness and sometimes misery , agreeably to the original views of the great designing Cause- —4 hvs he is ** the Fountain of

    all bur blessings" and of all our evils . H . T . seems to admit these operations of general laws ; but in speaking of God giving " bread , " " fruitful seasons , ** and €€ guidance in our spiritual course , " which we are to have for praying for , he supposes that God * ' has at his command all the series of

    natural causes , ' * that is , I should imagine , that he interrupts this series of natural causes , ( which is precisely the definition of a miracle , ) " by placing in our way the means of improvement ,

    and adapting our principles to our trials . ' H . T . adds , " surely this cannot bethought irrational . ' * I confess it appears to me very irrational , and the more so , as " God has actually

    revealed his will to us in a supernatural manner /* that he should now " so order his providence , " that is , interrupt tlie action of his own laws , ' that this holy will may be understood by us . "

    I will grant H . T . that if the proper answer to the petition be given , we may fairly be content with our ignorance of the means by which the Almighty communicated it- It H . T . will shew me facts , indubitably proving the answer , I will promise not to be very curious about the means .

    What H- T . says of the conversion of a Heathen , I do not understand , as he asserts that the Supreme Being

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    676 " Divine Influences .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1819, page 676, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1778/page/24/