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born again, he cannot see the kingdom of voice and open the door, I will come in to God:' that it is not a mere acknowledging him, and will sup with him, and he with His authority, calling him 'Lord, Lord,' me.' Observe, it is not said, if any man that will avail any thing, except we Do will not listen to me, I will force open the what He commands; that any thing short of door. But if we refuse admittance to such this is like a man building his house upon a guest, we must abide by the consethe sand, which when the storms come on, quences. will certainly fall. In like manner the apos- The sublime doctrine of divine assistance, tles are continually enforcing the necessity is the more to be prized not only on account of this change, which they describe under of our own helplessness, but from the addithe various names of the new man ;'*. tional consideration of the powerful adver'the new creature ;'-'a transformation in-sary with whom the Christian has to conto the image of God;'-' a participation of tend: an article of our faith by the way, the divine nature.'S Nor is this change re- which is growing into general disrepute presented as consisting merely in a change among the politer class of society. Nay, of religious opinions, not even in being de- there is a kind of ridicule attached to the livered over from a worse to a better system very suggestion of the subject, as if it were of doctrines, nor in exchanging gross síns for exploded by general agreement, on full those which are more sober and reputable: proof of its being an absolute absurdity, utnor in renouncing the sins of youth, and as-terly repugnant to the liberal spirit of an ensuming those of a quieter period of life; nor lightened age. And it requires no small in leaving off evil practices because men are neatness of expression and periphrastic ingrown tired of them, or find they injure genuity to get the very mention tolerated; their credit, health, or fortune; nor does it I mean consist in inoffensiveness and obliging manners, nor indeed in any merely outward re- THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF THE EXISTformation.

But the change consists in being renewedin the spirit of our minds;' in being conformed to the image of the Son of God:' in being called out of darkness into his marvellous light.' And the whole of this great change, its beginning, progress, and final accomplishment (for it is represenred as a gradual change) is ascribed to

THE INFLUENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

We are perpetually reminded of our utter inability to help ourselves, that we may set the higher value on those gracious aids which are held out to us. We are taught that we are not sufficient to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.' And when we are told that if we live after the flesh, we shall die,' we are at the same time reminded, that it is through the Spirit that we must mortify the deeds of the body.' We are likewise cautioned that we 'grieve not the Holy Spirit of God;' that we quench not the Spirit.' By all which expressions, and many others of like import, we are taught that, while we are to ascribe with humble gratitude every good thought, word, and work, to the influence of the Holy Spirit, we are not to look on such influence as superseding our own exertions; and it is too plain that we may reject the gracious offers of assistance, since otherwise there would be no occasion to caution us not to do it. The scriptures have illustrated this in terms which are familiar indeed, but which are therefore only the more condescending and endearing. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my

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ENCE AND POWER OF OUR GREAT SPI-
RITUAL ENEMY.

This is considered by the fashionable sceptic as a vulgar invention, which ought to be banished with the belief in dreams, and ghosts and witchcraft :-by the fashionable Christian, as au ingenious allegory, but not as a literal truth; and by almost all, as a doctrine which, when it happens to be introduced at church, has at least nothing to do with the pews, but is by common consent made over to the aisles, if indeed it must be retained at all.

May I, with great humility and respect, presume to suggest to our divines that they would do well not to lend their countenance to the modish curtailments of the Christian faith: nor to shun the introduction of this doctrine whenever it consists with their subject to bring it forward! A truth which is seldom brought before the eye, imperceptibly grows less and less important; and if it be an unpleasing truth, we grow more and more reconciled to its absence, till at length its intrusion becomes offensive,, and we learn in the end to renounce what we at first only neglected. Because some coarse and ranting enthusiasts have been fond of using tremenduous terms and awful denunciations with a violence and frequency, which might make it seem to be a gratification to them to denounce judgments and anticipate torments, can their coarseness or vulgarity make a true doctrine false, or an important one trifling? If such preachers have given offence by their uncouth manner of managing an awful doctrine, that indeed furnishes a caution to treat the subject more discreetly, but it is no just reason for avoiding the doctrine. For to keep a truth out of sight because it has been absurdly handled

or ill-defended, might in time be assigned as human heart to form so unfounded an exa reason for keeping back, one by one, eve-pectation. But Christians must have no ry doctrine of our holy church; for which of fault in their principle; their views must be them has not occasionally had imprudent correct, their proposed scheme must be advocates or weak champions?

faultless; their intention must be single: Be it remembered that the doctrine in their standard must be lofty; their object question is not only interwoven by allusion, must be right; their mark must be the high implication, or direct assertion throughout calling of God in Christ Jesus.'-There must the whole scripture, but that it stands pro- be no allowed evil, no warranted defection, minently personified at the opening of the no tolerated impurity, no habitual irreguNew as well as the Old Testament. The larity. Though they do not rise as high as devil's temptation of our Lord, in which he they ought, nor as they wish, in the scale of is not represented figuratively, but visibly perfection, yet the scale itself must be corand palpably, stands exactly on the same rect, and the desire of ascending perpetual; ground of authority with other events which counting nothing done while any thing reare received without repugnance. And it mains undone. Every grace must be kept may not be an unuseful observation to re-in exercise; conquests once made over an mark, that the very refusing to believe in an evil propensity must not only be maintained evil spirit, may be considered as one of his but extended. And in truth Christianity own suggestions; for there is not a more so comprizes contrary, and as it may be dangerous illusion than to believe ourselves out of the reach of illusions, nor a more alarming temptation than to fancy that we are not liable to be tempted.

But the dark cloud raised by this doctrine will be dispelled by the cheering certainty that our blessed Saviour having himself been tempted like as we are, is able to deliver those who are tempted,'

To return.-From this imperfect sketch we may see how suitable the religion of Christ is to fallen man! How exactly it meets every want! No one needs now perish because he is a sinner, provided he be willing to forsake his sins; for Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;' and He is now exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sin.' Which passage, be it observed, may be considered as pointing out to us the order in which he bestows his blessings; he gives first repentance and then forgiveness.

thought irreconcilable excellences, that those which seem so incompatible as to be incapable by nature of being inmates of the same breast, are almost necessarily involved in the Christian character.

For instance; Christianity requires that our faith be at once fervent and sober; that our love be both ardent and lasting; that our patience be not only heroic but gentle; she demands dauntless zeal and genuine humility; active services and complete self-renunciation; high attainments in goodness, with deep consciousness of defect; courage in reproving, and meekness in bearing reproof; a quick perception of what is sinful; with a willingness to forgive the offender; active virtue ready to do all, and passive virtue ready to bear all. We must stretch every faculty in the service of our Lord, and yet bring every thought into obedience to Him: while we aim to live in the exercise of every Christian grace, we must account ourselves We may likewise see how much the cha- unprofitable servants: we must strive for the racter of a true Christian rises above every crown, yet receive it as a gift, and then lay other; that there is a wholeness, an integri-it at our Master's feet: while we are busily ty, a completeness in the Christian charac- trading in the world with our Lord's talents, ter, that a few natural, pleasing qualities, we must commune with our hearts, and be not cast in the mould of the Gospel, are but still while we strive to practise the purest as beautiful fragments, or well-turned sin- disinterestedness, we must be contented gle limbs, which for want of that beauty, though we meet with selfishness in return; which arises from the proportion of parts, and while laying out our lives for the good of for want of that connexion of the members mankind, we must submit to reproach withwith the living head, are of little compara-out murmuring, ond to ingratitude without tive excellence. There may be amiable resentment. And to render us equal to all qualities which are not Christian graces; these services, Christianity bestows not only and the apostle, after enumerating every the precepts, but the power; she does what separate article of attack or defence with the great poet of Ethics lamented that reawhich a Christian warrior is to be accoutred, son could not do, she lends us arms as well sums up the matter by directing that we put as rules.' on the whole armour of God.' And this completeness is insisted on by all the apostles. One prays that his converts may stand perfect and complete in the whole will of God;' another enjoins that they be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Now we are not to suppose that they expected any convert to be without faults; they knew too well the constitution of the

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For here, if not only the worldly and the timid, but the humble and the well-dispo sed, should demand with fear and trembling, Who is sufficient for these things?' Revelation makes its own reviving answer, My grace is sufficient for thee.'

It will be well here to distinguish that there are two sorts of Christian professors, one of which affect to speak of Christianity

as if it were a mere system of doctrines, with living sacrifice, acceptable to God,' &c. and little reference to their influence on life and then goes on to enforce on them, as a consemanners; while the other consider it as ex-quence of what he had been preaching, the hibiting a scene of human duties indepen-practice of every Christian virtue. This dent on its doctrines. For though the latter combined view of the subject seems on the sort may admit the doctrines, yet they con-one hand, to be the only means of preventemplate them as a separate and disconnect-ting the substitution of Pagan morality for ed set of opinions, rather than as an influen-Christian holiness: and, on the other, of tial principle of action. In violation of that securing the leading doctrine of justification beautiful harmony which subsists in every by faith, from the dreadful danger of Antipart of Scripture between practice and be-nomian licentiousness; every human obligalief, the religious world furnishes two sorts of tion being thus grafted on the living stock of people who seem to enlist themselves, as if a divine principle. in opposition, under the banner of Saint Paul and Saint James; as if those two great champions of the Christian cause had fought for two masters. Those who affect respectively to be the disciples of each, treat faith and works as if they were opposite interests, instead of inseparable points, Nay, they go farther, and set Saint Paul at variance with himself.

CHAP XXI.

On the duty and efficacy of Prayer.

IT is not proposed to enter largely on a topic which has been exhausted by the Now instead of reasoning on the point, let ablest pens. But as a work of this nature us refer to the apostle in question, who him-seems to require that so important a subself definitely settles tho dispute. The apos-ject should not be overlooked, it is intended tolic order and method in this respect de- to notice in a slight manner a few of those serves notice and imitation: for it is obser- many difficulties and popular objections vable that the earlier parts of most of the which are brought forward against the use epistles abound in the doctrines of Christi-and efficacy of prayer, even by those who anity, while those latter chapters, which would be unwilling to be suspected of impiwind up the subject, exhibit all the duties ety and unbelief. which grow out of them, as the natural and There is a class of objectors who strangenecessary productions of such a living root.*ly profess to withhold homage from the Most But this alternate mention of doctrine and High, not out of contempt but reverence. practice, which seemed likely to unite, has They affect to consider the use of prayer as on the contrary formed a sort of line of se- derogatory from the omniscience of God, asparation between these two orders of be-serting that it looks as if we thought he stood lievers, and introduced a broken and mutila-in need of being informed of our wants; and ted system. Those who would make Chris-as derogatory from his goodness, as implying tianity consist of doctrines only, dwell for that he needs to be put in mind of them. instance, on the first eleven chapters of the But is it not enough for such poor frail Epistle to the Romans, as containing exclu-beings as we are to know, that God himself sively the sum and substance of the Gospel. does not consider prayer as derogatory either While the mere moralists, who wish to strip to his wisdom or goodness? And shall we Christianity of her lofty and appropriate at- erect ourselves into judges of what is contributes, delight to dwell on the twelfth sistent with the attributes of Him before chapter, which is a table of duties, as exclu- whom angels fall prostrate with self-abasesively as if the preceding chapters made no ment? Will he thank such defenders of his part of the sacred Canon. But Saint Paul attributes, who, while they profess to revehimself, who was at least as sound a theo-rence, scruple not to disobey him? It ought logian as any of his commentators, settles rather to be viewed as a great encouragethe matter another way, by making the du- ment to prayer, that we are addressing a ties of the twelfth grow out of the doctrines Being, who knows our wants better than we of the antecedent eleven, just as any other can express them, and whose preventing consequence grows out of its cause. And as goodness is always ready to relieve them. if he suspected that the indivisible union be- Prayer seems to unite the different attributes tween them might possibly be overlocked, of the Almighty: for if he is indeed the God he links the two distinct divisions together that heareth prayer, that is the best reason by a logical therefore,' with which the why to him all flesh should come.' twelfth begins:-'I beseech you therefore,' It is objected by another class, and on the (that is, as the effect of all I have been in-specious ground of humility too, though we culcating,) that you present your bodies a do not always find the objector himself quite

• This is the language of our church, as may be seen

in ber 12th article; viz.

as humble as his plea would be thought, that it is arrogant in such insignificant beings as we are to presume to lay our petty necessi Good works do spring out necessarily of a true and ties before the Great and Glorious God, who lively faith; insomuch that by them a lively faith may cannot be expected to condescend to the be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by its fruit.multitude of trifling and even interfering

and yet we may hope by prayer to secure the blessing so far as it is consistent with it. Perhaps the reason why this objection to prayer is so strongly felt, is the too great disposition to pray for merely temporal and worldly blessings, and to desire them in the most unqualified manner, not submitting to be without them, even though the granting them should be inconsistent with the general plan of Providence.

requests which are brought before him by resignation to God: we profess not to wish his creatures. These and such like objec- what will interfere with his benevolent plan, tions arise from mean and unworthy thoughts of the Great Creator. It seems as if those who make them considered the Most High as 'such an one as themselves;' a Being, who can perform a certain given quantity of business, but who would be overpowered with an additional quantity. Or, at best, is it not considering the Almighty in the light, not of an infinite God, but of a great man, of a minister, or a king, who, while he superintends public and national concerns, is Another class continue to bring forward, obliged to neglect small and individual peti-as pertinaciously as if it had never been antions, because his hands being full he cannot swered, the exhausted argument, that seespare that leisure and attention which suf-ing God is immutable, no petitions of ours fice for every thing? They do not consider can ever change Him: that events themhim as that infinitely glorious Being, who selves being settled in a fixed and unalterawhile he beholds at once all that is doing in ble course, and bound in a fatal necessity, it heaven and in earth, is at the same time as is folly to think that we can disturb the esattentive to the prayer of the poor destitute, tablished laws of the universe, or interrupt as present to the sorrowful sighing of the the course of Providence by our prayers: prisoner, as if each of these forlorn creatures and that it is absurd to suppose these firm were individually the object of his undivided decrees can be reversed by any requests of attention.

These critics, who are for sparing the Supreme Being the trouble of our prayers, and, if I may so speak without profaneness, would relieve Omnipotence of part of his burden, by assigning to his care only such a portion as may be more easily managed, seem to have no adequate conception of his

attributes.

ours.

Without entering into the wide and trackless field of fate and free will, from which pursuit I am kept back equally by the most profound ignorance and the most invincible dislike, I would only observe, that these objections apply equally to all human actions as well as to prayer. It may therefore with the same propriety be urged, that seeing God is They forget that infinite wisdom puts him immutable and his decrees unalterable, as easily within reach of all knowledge, as therefore our actions can produce no change iufinite power does of all performance; that in Him or in our own state. Weak as well he is a Being in whose plans complexity as impious reasoning! It may be questioned makes no difficulty, variety no obstruction, whether even the modern French and Gerand multiplicity no confusion; that to ubi-man philosophers may not be prevailed upon quity distance does not exist; that to infinity to acknowledge the existence of God, if they space is annihilated; that past, present, might make such a use of his attributes. and future, are discerned more accurately at one glance of his eye, to whom a thousand years are as one day, than a single moment of time or a single point of space can be by

ours.

The truth is (and it is a truth discoverable without any depth of learning) all these objections are the offspring of pride. Poor, short-sighted man cannot reconcile the omniscience and decrees of God with the efficacy of prayer; and because he cannot reconcile them, he modestly concludes they are irreconcilable. How much more wisdom, as well as happiness, results from an humble Christian spirit! Such a plain practical text as, 'Draw near unto God, and he will draw near unto you,' carries more consolation, more true knowledge of his wants and their remedy to the heart of a penitent sinner, than all the 'tomes of casuistry,' which have puzzled the world ever since the question was first set afloat by its origi

To the other part of the objection, founded on the supposed interference (that is irreconcilableness) of one man's petitions with those of another, this answer seems to suggest itself: first, that we must take care that when we ask, we do not ask amiss;' that for instance, we ask chiefly, and in an unqualified manner, only for spiritual blessings to ourselves and others; and in doing this the prayer of one man cannot interfere with that of another, because no proportion of sanctity or virtue implored by one obstructs the same attainments in another.nal propounders. Next in asking for temporal and inferior] blessings, we must qualify our petition, even though it should extend to deliverance from the severest pains, or to our very life itself, according to that example of our Saviour: Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.' By thus qualifying our prayer, we exercise ourselves in an act of

And as the plain man only got up and walked, to prove there was such a thing as motion, in answer to the philosopher who in an elaborate theory denied it: so the plain Christian, when he is borne down with the assurance that there is no efficacy in prayer, requires no better argument to repel the assertion, than the good he finds in prayer itself.

All the doubts proposed to him respecting his treatise, to starve in the interim. The God, do not so much affect him as this one Christian feels better than he is able to exdoubt respecting himself: 'If I regard ini-plain, that the functions of his spiritual life quity in my heart, the Lord will not hear can no more be carried on without habitual me. For the chief doubt and difficulty of a prayer, than those of his natural life without real Christian consists, not so much in a dis-frequent bodily nourishment. He feels retrust of God's ability and willingness to an-novation and strength grow out of the use of swer the prayer of the upright, as in a dis- the appointed means, as necessarily in the trust of his own uprightness, as in a doubt one case as in the other. He feels that the whether he himself belongs to that descrip- health of his soul can no more be sustained, tion of persons to whom the promises are and its powers kept in continued vigour, by made, and of the quality of the prayer which the prayers of a distant day, than his body he offers up. by the aliment of a distant day.

Let the subjects of a dark fate maintain a But there is one motive to the duty in sullen, or the slaves of a blind chance a question, far more constraining to the true hopeless silence, but let the child of a com-believer than all others that can be named; passionate Almighty Father supplicate His more imperious than any argument on its mercies with a humble confidence, inspired utility, than any convictions of its efficacy, by the assurance, that the very hairs of his even than any experience of its consolahead are numbered.' Let him take comfort tions. Prayer is the command of God; the in that individual and minute attention, with-plain, positive, repeated injunction of the out which not a sparrow falls to the ground, Most High, who declares, He will be inas well as in that heart-cheering promise; quired of.' This is enough to secure the that, as the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,' so are his ears open to their prayers.' And as a pious bishop has observed, ‘Our Saviour has as it were hedged in and inclosed the Lord's prayer with these two great fences of our faith, God's willingness and his power to help us; the preface to it assures us of the one, which by calling God by the tender name of Our Father, intimates his readiness to help his children: and the animating conclusion, Thine is the power,' rescues us from every unbelieving doubt of his ability to help us.

A Christian knows, because he feels, that prayer is, though in a way to him inscrutable, the medium of connexion between God and his rational creatures: the means appointed by him to draw down his blessings upon us. The Christian knows that prayer is the appointed means of uniting two ideas, one of the highest magnificence, the other of the most profound lowliness, within the compass of imagination; namely, that it is the link of communication between the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity,' and that heart of the contrite in which he delights to dwell,' He knows that this inexplicable union between beings so unspeakably, so essentially different, can only be maintained by prayer: that this is the strong but secret chain which unites time with eternity, earth with heaven, man with God.

obedience of the Christian, even though a promise were not, as it always is, attached to the command. But in this case, to our unspeakable comfort, the promise is as clear as the precept: Ask, and ye shall receiveSeek, and ye shall find-Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' This is encouragement enough for the plain Christian. As to the manner in which prayer is made to coincide with the general scheme of God's plan in the government of human affairs; how God has left himself at liberty to reconcile our prayer with his own predetermined will, the Christian does not very critically examine, his precise and immediate duty being to pray, and not to examine; and probably this being among the secret things which belong to God,' and not to us, it will lie hidden among those numberless mysteries which we shall not fully understand till faith be lost in sight.

In the meantime it is enough for the humble believer to be assured, that the Judge of all the earth is doing right; it is enough for him to be assured in that word of God

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which cannot lie,' of numberless actual instances of the efficacy of prayer in obtaining blessings and averting calamities, both national and individual: it is enough for him to be convinced experimentally, by that internal evidence, which is perhaps paramount to all other evidence, the comfort he himself has received from prayer when all other The plain Christian, as was before obser- comforts have failed-and above all to end ved, cannot explain why it is so; but while with the same motive with which we began, he feels the efficacy, he is content to let the the only motive indeed which he requires learned define it; and he will no more post-for the performance of any duty- it is mopone prayer till he can produce a chain of tive enough for him-that thus saith the reasoning on the manner in which he derives Lord. For when a serious Christian has benefit from it, than he will postpone eating once got a plain unequivocal command from till he can give a scientific lecture on the na-his Maker on any point, he never suspends ture of digestion; he is contented with his obedience while he is amusing himself knowing that his meat has nourished him; with looking about for subordinate motives and he leaves to the philosopher, who may of action. Instead of curiously analysing choose to defer his meal till he has elaborated the nature of the duty, he considers how he

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