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divine grace, and that the Holy Spirit is the free gift of God. But he is waiting for the breeze, and at length the wind blows, every sail is filled, every faculty, affection, and power is engaged; he proceeds rapidly in his course, and is wafted along towards the desired haven.

Without me, says Christ, ye can do nothing. The words are full and express: nothing, nothing pleasing to God.

We are by nature AVERSE TO PRAYER. If prayer were natural to us, we should find no difficulty in having our hearts engaged in an intercourse so advantageous and so honourable. But who that has attempted this duty, has not found an averseness of heart, a distaste or disrelish, when about to engage in secret prayer. The soul is often straitened, shut up, and closed. Though the Christian knows it to be both his duty and his privilege to pray, he sometimes finds an insuperable impotency and unwillingness. His mind is perhaps filled with worldly cares and anxieties; his affections are wandering after a thousand vanities, and he finds it a laborious effort to drag his soul to the throne of grace.

We are also IGNORANT AS TO THE SUBJECTS OF PRAYER. We know not what to pray for as we ought. Rom. viii, 26. We indeed feel our misery, but are not fully acquainted either with the cause or the remedy. Blind men may be conscious of the evil which surrounds them, but cannot see the way to avoid it, nor know how to obtain that which will be for their good. If we know at all what to pray for, yet we have not adequate views of our original depravity, and our exceeding sinfulness and unbelief; nor of the fulness and power of Christ the Saviour. We do not regard the glory of

God, but our own ease and pleasure. By nature we love outward good, and are ready to ask, in sickness for health, in pain for ease, in sorrow for comfort, in poverty for wealth, in disregard and contempt for honour and esteem; without considering God's glory, or our eternal good. The mother of Zebedee's children asked for a place of great honour for her sons; but our Lord said, Ye know not what ye ask. Matt. xx. Often these things which we are ready to ask for, would, if God were to give them to us, be our greatest curse.

Nor, however useful and valuable in themselves, do forms of prayer remedy our ignorance. It is one thing to repeat a form of prayer from a book, or from memory; and it is another thing to have the spirit of prayer in the heart. Two persons may use the same words, and one be worshipping God in spirit and in truth; whilst the other is drawing near to Him with his lips only, and his heart is far from Him.

This ignorance in the understanding is accompanied also with A PERVERSENESS IN THE AFFECTIONS.We have that carnal mind within us, which is enmity against God. Therefore, though we have all knowledge, though we may pray, either by the most excellent of forms, or by the exercise of the understanding, our affections do not naturally rise to God. The matter of our prayer may be good: but the Lord looks at the heart that offers it up. Are your prayers then offered up with a humble and believing heart? are your affections holy and heavenly? are your desires ardent and steady? Or, do you not often feel an insurmountable languor oppressing you; so that, like David's, your soul cleaves to the dust?

It will make the subject more plain, if we endeavour

to shew the state of the heart in public worship. Judging only by the outward expressions of penitence and contrition, of holy desire, of warm thanksgiving, of earnest intercession, we should say, What heavenly Christians are these! But could we see all that the eye of God discerns in the hearts of the worshippers, the vain thoughts and distractions, the earthly schemes and plans contriving and executing in the midst of all this apparent devotion, what a mockery would our solemn meetings be often found to be; the very house of God turned again into a den of thieves. Prov, v, 14. O what a cold, wandering, and distracted heart is often concealed, under the drama, as it were, of pure and heavenly prayers!

I have stated thus fully the infirmities and deficiences connected with the performance of this holy duty, in order that the absolute necessity of divine assistance may be more clearly perceived. Blessed be God, we need not be left to ourselves, under the wretchedness and ruin of our fallen nature. However great and multiplied our infirmities, however dark our ignorance, however dull and dead our hearts, there is a power that can raise, support, enlighten, and revive.

The necessity of the assistance of the Holy Spirit, is a principal of main and vital importance in the Christian system; and therefore the Sriptures are very express upon it.

The Holy Ghost is plainly PROMISED

TO THE

CHURCH. Thus it is foretold, I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. Isa. xliv, 3. I will put my spirit within you. Ezek. xxxvi, 27. And our Lord evidently extends the promise of the Spirit to all that seek it, when he says, If

ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke xi, 13.

The Holy Spirit is promised FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING US IN OUR PRAYERS.-That promise is directly in point—I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications. Zech. xii, 10. Again, the Apostle thus describes the experience of ChristiansThe Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Rom. viii, 26. Dr. Owen observes, "that it cannot be denied, that the assistance which the Holy Spirit gives us in our prayers and supplications, is more frequently and expressly asserted in the Scripture, than any other operation of his whatever.

The Scriptures also, when exciting us to the duty of prayer, direct us to pray through the aid of the Holy Ghost. Thus Jude says, (ver. 20, 21,) praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life. St. Paul says, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance. Eph. vi, 18.

This aid of the Spirit in prayer is A BLESSING

WHICH BELONGS TO ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal. iv, 6. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Rom. viii, 15.

Indeed, the gift of the Spirit is the great promise of the New Testament. It is the grand privilege of the

Christian church, that, since the resurrection of Christ, a larger measure of that Spirit has been given to the people of God. Jesus Christ was to baptize his people with the Holy Ghost. Matt. iii, 11. He told his disciples just before his death, It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John xvi, 7.

The sentiments of the Church of England on this doctrine are very clearly expressed. Thus, in the 13th Article it is said, "Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God. In the Sermon, or Homily for Rogation week, it is said, "that we may boldly come in prayer, and call upon Almighty God as our Father, it is by this Holy Spirit, which maketh intercession for us with continual sighs." Hence we find in the Liturgy various prayers expressly for the aid of the Holy Spirit. "Grant that thy Holy Spirit may, in all things, direct and rule our hearts."* "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee." These, with many other similar passages which might be brought, shew the mind of our Reformers on this subject.

Having shewn the necessity of the Spirit's aid, I would now endeavour, in some measure, to explain how this aid is given. The Scriptures express it generally under

*Collect, 19th Sunday after Trinity.

+ Collect before Communion Service. See also Art. 10, 11; 2nd Collect at Evening Prayer; 5th Sunday after Easter; 15th after Trinity. The Petitions, "Endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit," "Take not thy Holy Spirit from us," teach the same

truth.