An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…

2. There are other Duties, which are not in their own Nature an Exhibition of a Covenant-Union with God, or of any Compliance with the Condition of the Covenant of Grace; but are the Expression of general Virtues, or Virtues in their largest Extent, including both special and common. Thus Prayer, or asking Mercy of God, is in it's own Nature no Profession of a Compliance with the Covenant of Grace: 'Tis an Expression of some Belief of the Being of a God, an Expression of some Sense of our Wants, some Sense of our need of Help, and some Sense of a need of God's Help, some Sense of our Dependence, &c. but not only such a Sense of these Things as is spiritual and saving. Indeed there are some Prayers proper to be made by Saints, and many Things proper to be expressed by them In Prayer, which imply the Profession of a spiritual Union of Heart to God through Christ, but such as no Heaven, no Heretic, nor natural Man whatever, can or ought to make. Prayer in general, and asking Mercy and Help from God, is no more a Profession of Consent to the Covenant of Grace, than Reading the Scriptures, or Meditation; or performing any Duty of Morality and natural Religion. A Mahometan may as well ask Mercy, as hear Instruction: And any natural Man may as well express his Desires to God, as hear when God declares his Will to him. 'Tis true, when an unconverted Man prays, the Manner of his doing it is sinful. But when a natural Man, knowing himself to be so, comes to the Lord's Supper, the very Matter of what he does, in respect of the Profession he there makes, and his Pretension to lay Hold of God's Covenant, is a Lie, and a Lie told in the most solemn Manner.

2. There are other Duties, which are not in their own Nature an Exhibition of a Covenant-Union with God, or of any Compliance with the Condition of the Covenant of Grace; but are the Expression of general Vertues, or Vertues in their largest Extent, including both special and common. Thus Prayer, or asking Mercy of God, is in it's own Nature no Profession of a Compliance with the Covenant of Grace: 'Tis an Expression of some Belief of the Being of a God, an Expression of some Sense of our Wants, some Sense of our need of Help, and some Sense of a need of God's Help, some Sense of our Dependance, &c. but not only such a Sense of these Things as is spiritual and saving. Indeed there are some Prayers proper to be made by Saints, and many Things proper to be express'd by them In Prayer, which imply the Profession of a spiritual Union of Heart to God through Christ, but such as no Heaven, no Heretick, nor natural Man whatever, can or ought to make. Prayer in general, and asking Mercy and Help from God, is no more a Profession of Consent to the Covenant of Grace, than Reading the Scriptures, or Meditation; or performing any Duty of Morality and natural Religion. A Mahometan may as well ask Mercy, as hear Instruction: And any natural Man may as well express his Desires to God, as hear when God declares his Will to him. 'Tis true, when an unconverted Man prays, the Manner of his doing it is sinful. But when a natural Man, knowing himself to be so, comes to the Lord's Supper, the very Matter of what he does, in respect of the Profession he there makes, and his Pretension to lay Hold of God's Covenant, is a Lie, and a Lie told in the most solemn Manner.