It is the perfection of beauty. It is reason itself:--divine in its nature:--rich in its promises:--plain in its essential precepts:--and heavenly in its tendency.---- In the sequel, we will consider the condition, upon which Salvation is offered to us, in the text: or show that stated prayer is a duty binding on all men. The condition upon which Salvation is offered to us, in these words now under consideration, is _calling upon the name of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved._ Calling upon the name of the Lord is, then, the necessary condition of our being saved. How, therefore, the interesting enquiry is, are we to call upon the name of the Lord so as to be saved--or to be intitled to the promised blessing of the text?--The _name_ of the Lord here, and in a great variety of other places of holy Writ, means the attributes of the Supreme Being, his nature, and perfections; or God himself, the only proper object of religious fear and adoration. And _calling upon him_ for help and deliverance, in our troubles and distress, and looking to him for temporal and spiritual blessings, for all needed good for time and Eternity, is repairing to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need, or that we may procure a supply of spiritual provision to aid us, in our journey through life, and to prepare us for everlasting rest. _Let us therefore,_ says the Apostle, _come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need._ _Calling upon the name_ of the Lord is the usual scripture-phrase for STATEDLY looking to him as the fountain of light, of goodness, of wisdom, of mercy, and of power, by PRAYER, that we may obtain all the blessings, whether pertaining to the present or future world, which our circumstances and condition may render necessary. And we are to do this, in all the ways of his appointment, and which reason suggests as proper, whether public, social, or private. I say, which reason suggests as proper: for reason is given to us, to be diligently improved in the things of Religion, as well as of the world, in the concerns of our souls, as well as in our temporal interests, and much more so, as our spiritual concerns are infinitely more important than our temporal. To set aside reason in our enquiries about truth and duty, would be no less absurd, than to reject the light of divine revelation itself. Reason is a mortal foe to enthusiastic and visionary schemes of religion. And to deny its use or office in things of a spiritual nature, is not only highly absurd, but introductory to fatal delusions. He who will have nothing to do with reason in religion, is just prepared to admit any extravagance or error, whatever in doctrine and worship.----Reason and scripture never contradict each other. And with respect to the _stated_ duty of prayer as binding on all men, they are perfectly united.