of our Lord Jesus Christ prevented me, and his Spirit renewed me, (as I trust it has renewed me) to repentance, and life everlasting. In regard to the secret relish, I speak of the disposition of my mind after the beginnings of grace. I feel I sin daily in the thoughts of my heart; and by such sinful thoughts offend God, and deserve the pains of hell for ever. Yet shall I say because of this, that I know nothing of the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost? God forbid, for then were I dead in sin indeed. If I feel a carnal heart and a sinful nature, I feel sanctification is opposed to that sinful nature; yea, and I feel at times a new principle within me, (which I am persuaded is wrought by the Spirit) opposing with all its might the natural propensities of my sinful nature. Doth my old nature get the advantage at times? It is because Satan is stronger than me. Yet I yield reluctantly, and rise again when God again revisits my soul. But I have worse to tell, for I must tell the worst. Sometimes. I yield willingly to sins in thought, word and action, proving myself thus more worthy of being called a child of hell, than an heir of HeaNow this makes me lament day by day. But thus I comfort myself; there is (say I) a great difference between the state and the disposition of my heart. My state (if chosen of God) is fixed for ever. It is a good state, being wrought in me by God's good Spirit, placing me in the everlasting arms of Christ, which will evermore support me,

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whereas I was once under the dominion of the devil. But my disposition is by nature bad; and the remains of it continually remind me of my fallen nature; but I am chosen to sanctification, as well as faith. I am in my state altered for the better, it hath given me also a love to God, and delight in his truth, so that my bad disposition, however aided by Satan's devices, shall not finally prevail and gain the mastery over me. I look for the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ; and when he cometh, I shall be like him for I shall see him as he is, face to face. Then I shall be completely sanctified, perfect in him; I shall become "a pillar in the temple of my God, and shall go no more out," Rev. iii. 12.

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Thus I have endeavoured to shew, how faith in Christ is the foundation of good works; viz. first, In love to God, and delight in serving him; 2d. In love to our fellow creatures for his sake; especially to those who are of the household of faith, whom we love for Christ's sake, with an affection far above the feeling of the world; 3d. In labouring in the strength of the Spirit after full sanctification, by giving up our whole body, soul, and spirit unto God. May we possess true faith in Christ: then will good works spring up out of our lively faith; then will God be honored, his church edified, his people comforted; and when by Christ's second coming, the top-stone of his beautiful and everlasting temple shall be laid on, with the shouting of glorified

Spirits, rejoicing angels and chosen saints, saying, Grace, grace unto it; then may we join their number, and sing eternal praises to him who hath re-. deemed us to God by his dear blood.

20th. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in ny name, he will give it you. John xvi. 23.

Prayer is the breath of an heaven born soul, and a proper employment for every one who professeth to be a Christian: and this all professors must confess, if pressed to give a decided answer to the question. And it may be observed, that all heathen mythology, encouraged invocation and the exercise of prayer, whether offered to idols or pretended gods. The Old Testament affords us a notable instance of this in the priests of Baal. They wanted their God to come down to consume the burnt-offering which they had prepared for him ; and for this purpose they cried, "O Baal, hear "us," 1 Kings xviii. 26. But though they cried from morning to night, "there was no voice, nor "any that answered." Now it is only the one living and true God who can answer prayer: for the rest are no gods, and either the work of men's hands, or if men, raised by men to the honor of gods, have no power to help.

Now the object of prayer is God the Father, as we learn from the prayer of our Saviour," Our "Father which art in Heaven," and many other places, as particularly in John xvii. 1. 4. 11. 21.

24 and 25. Now the reason of this is first in a way of Providence, as especially in the work of creation: "In the beginning, God created the "Heaven and the Earth.-And the Spirit of "God moved upon the face of the waters," Gen. i. 1, 2. Here God the Father is mentioned in a particular manner; the Beginning, or God the Son, called, "The Beginning of the Creation of God," Rev. iii. 14, is mentioned also, as the instrument or fellow-workman of the Father; God the Spirit is also spoken of, as giving life to the whole.

Now here in the first outset of the Bible, if any thing is to be gathered of a Trinity, (and surely a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead may be gathered) it is this; that though the Father is first as a creating cause, it being said, " God created," yet there is no priority of persons, that superior dignity should be attached thereto; seeing the Son stands - first in the order of the chapter. Why then is God the Father mentioned in a peculiar way? Because he is as it were the spokesman and president of the whole, in whose handiworks the others both cooperate and agree. If it be asked whether it be right to pray to every person of the Deity, and to pay them divine honors, I answer yes, verily; for we may continually pray thus to the Son: Lord Jesus apply the merits of thy blood, by the energy of thy Spirit, to our souls,' or we may add with holy Stephen in the very agonies of death, "Lord "Jesus receive my Spirit," Acts vii. 59. Or

thus to the Holy Spirit. O ever blessed, divinę ' and Holy Spirit, gracious comforter, descend and 'fill our souls: help us to plead the merits of Christ's 'death and passion with the Father, give us a sweet sense of thy cheering presence, that we may love thyself and all holiness, and under thy guidance and 'power press forward for eternal joy.' Now these two divine persons may be most properly addressed in ejaculatory prayer, or the secret lifting up of the heart in short and fervent petitions; as also the Father may be thus addressed: Holy Father receive us for Christ's sake, and send down renewed visitations of thy Spirit, that we live to thy glory, and 'may be preserved from giving up our hearts to sin against thee.'

Now of ejaculatory prayer it may be observed, that it comprehends the very essence of true devotion in the sight of God. To suppose a few short petitions put up morning and evening, or even if noon day be added, or even if like the royal psalmist seven times a day, to suppose these to be all the worship God receives from his creatures, we must say if we think aright, Lord how little reverence do we pay thee!-Time, place, circumstance, and situation of life, the calls of business, the lawful pursuits of lawful concerns, and the various duties of public, social, private and domestic life, though not carried on to undue lengths, do in the present state of society, demand that attention from all, which is incompatible with frequent returns of pri