This the Apostle declares, in his epistle to the Ephesians; [1] and the same truth is unfolded in the parable of the prodigal son, who would have deemed it a kindness to be admitted into the number of his father's servants; but who was received, by a forgiving parent, with more than a parent's fondness. [2] Nay, when we are properly disposed, God accumulates his favours on us. even when we ask them not; and this, not only with abundance, but also with a readiness, which anticipates our desires. Without waiting for their utterance, God prevents the inward and silent aspirations of the poor, according to these words of Scripture: " The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor." [3]
Another fruit of prayer is, that it exercises and augments the Christian virtues, particularly the virtue of faith. As they, who have not faith in God, cannot pray as they ought; " How can they call on him, whom they have not believed?" [4] so, the faithful, in proportion to the fervour of their prayers, possess a stronger and a more assured faith in the protecting providence of God, which requires, principally, that, in all things which we have occasion to supplicate from his bounty, we submit ourselves to his sovereign will. God, it is true, might bestow on us all things abundantly, although we asked them not, nor even thought of them, as he bestows on the irrational creation all things necessary for the support of life: but our most bountiful Father wishes to be invoked by his children; he wishes that, praying as we ought each day of our lives, we may pray with increased confidence; by acceding to our petitions, he wishes, every day, to give fresh proofs and manifestations of his parental kindness towards us.
Our charity is also augmented by prayer. Recognizing God as the author of every blessing, and the source of every good, we cling to him with the most devoted love. As those who cherish a sincere and mutual affection, become more ardently attached by frequent interviews and interchanges of sentiment, so the more frequent the aspirations which the pious soul breathes to God, and the closer the converse which she enjoys with him, by imploring his bounteous mercy, the more exquisite is the sense of delight which she experiences, and the more Fifth. ardently is she inflamed to love and adore him. He will, therefore, have us to make use of the exercise of prayer, that, burning with the desire of asking what we are anxious to obtain, we may thus make such advances in spiritual life, as to be worthy to obtain those blessings, which the soul, before dry and contracted, was incapable of receiving. [5]
Moreover, God would have us to know, and always to keep in recollection, this revealed truth, that, unassisted by his heavenly grace, we can of ourselves do nothing, and should, therefore, apply ourselves to prayer, with all the powers of our
