The man who sits down at his ease, and prays to Heaven to have all
his wants supplied, and his wishes accomplished, by a miracle wrought
in his favour, without using his own exertions and honest endeavours
to obtain them, deserves to be disappointed. Many men who have a fair
share of natural good sense, and who also value themselves upon having
their reasoning powers enlightened by revelation, yet fall into this
error: led by fanatics and bigots, they follow the fashion of running
often to prayers and sermons, when they might be much better employed
at home. The industrious good man, instead of publicly praying for
the comforts of life, pursues his business, which is the proper means
of procuring them; and if at the same time he holds converse with his
Maker, which all men ought to do, and no man can be happy without
doing, he needs no veil of hypocrisy to make the world believe he is
better than he really is: he feels it his duty and pleasure so to
proceed, while he sojourns here, and knows not how he can do better,
than by sober and honest industry to provide for those of his own
household, and to endeavour for the means of helping him that needeth.
The man who is virtuously and honestly engaged, is actually serving
God all the while; and is more likely to have his silent wishes,
accompanied with strenuous endeavours, complied with by the Supreme
Being, than he who begs with an unnecessary vehemence, and solicits
with an empty hand--a hand which would be more religious, were it
usefully employed, and more devout, were it stretched out to do good to
those that want it.
[Illustration]
[Illustration] [Page 39]