We are by nature averse to prayer. If prayer were ural to us, we should find no difficulty in having our rts engaged in an intercourse so advantageous and so orable. But who that has attempted this duty, has not ad an averseness of heart, a distaste or disrelish, when at to engage in secret prayer? The soul is often itened, shut up, and closed. Though the Christian ws it to be both his duty and his privilege to pray, he etimes finds an insuperable impotency and unwilling3. His mind is, perhaps, filled with worldly cares and ieties; his affections are wandering after a thousand ities, and he finds it a laborious effort to drag his soul he throne of grace.

Ve are also ignorant as to the subjects of prayer.We know not what to pray for as we ought."* We infeel our misery, but are not fully acquainted either the cause or the remedy. Blind men may be conscious he evil which surrounds them, but cannot see the way void it, nor know how to obtain that which will be for r good. If we know at all what to pray for, yet we not adequate views of our original depravity, and our eding sinfulness and unbelief; nor of the fullness and er of Christ the Savior. We do not regard the glory od, but our own ease and pleasure. By nature we love ard good, and are ready to ask in sickness for health, ain for ease, in sorrow for comfort, in poverty for th, in disregard and contempt for honor and esteem; out considering God's glory, or our eternal good. The er of Zebedee's children asked for a place of great r for her sons; but our Lord said, "Ye know not what k." Often those things which we are ready to ask would, if God were to give them to us, be our greatest

This i also with carnal

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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 an 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 endeavor to show the state of the heart in public worship. Judging only by the outward expressions of penitence and contrition, of holy desire, and 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."* 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 deficiencies 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 principle of main and vital importance in the Christian system; and therefore the Scriptures are very express upon it.

The Hole Chest in plainly aromised to the Chamah

66

us it is foretold, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed,
my blessing upon thine offspring."*
I will put my
rit within you." And our Lord evidently extends the
mise of the Spirit to all that seek it, when he says, "If
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your chil-
n, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
y Spirit to them that ask him!"

The Holy Spirit is promised for the purpose of assist-
us in our prayers.-That promise is directly in point
I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the in-
itants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplica-
s." Again, the Apostle thus describes the experience
Christians-"The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for
know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the
rit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings
ich cannot be uttered."|| Dr. Owen observes, "that it
not be denied, that the assistance which the Holy Spirit
es us in our prayers and supplications, is more frequently
expressly asserted in the Scripture, than any other
ration of his whatever."

'he Scriptures also, when exciting us to the duty of
ver, direct us to pray through the aid of the Holy Ghost.
is Jude says, (ver. 20, 21,) "praying in the Holy Ghost,
yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy
ur Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." St. Paul says,
aying always with all prayer and supplication in the
it, and watching thereunto with all perseverance."¶
his aid of the Spirit in prayer is a blessing which be-
s to all the children of God. "Because ye are sons,
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
ig, Abba, Father."**
"Ye have received the Spirit of
tion whereby we cry, Abba, Father."++
deed, the gift of the Spirit is the great promise of the
Testament. It is the grand privilege of the Christian
ch, that, since the resurrection of Christ, a larger
ure of that Spirit has been given to the people of God.
Christ was to baptize his people with the Holy Ghost.‡‡
old his disciples just before his death, "It is expedient
ou that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter
† Ezek. xxxvi. 27.

i. xliv. 3. ch. xii. 10.

Rom. viii. 26.

+ Luke xi. 13.

T Enh. vi. 18

will not unto you The s

trine are

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66

of the Spirit, that burden under which we are ready
ink will be removed, and our hearts raised in prayer to
1; the Spirit will relieve us in our necessities. Preston,
is Treatise called "The Saint's Exercise," thus illus-
es the subject: "A fountain has always an aptness to
r forth water, but cannot if it be stopped by mud, stones,
>ther impediments: so in prayer, 'the spirit is willing,'
pray or do other duties,) but the flesh is weak.' Yet
e the Holy Ghost 'helps our infirmities,' removing stop-
es from the fountain, taking away carnal impediments,
I stirring up the regenerate part, whereby we are able
nake a spiritual prayer unto God."

6

The Holy Spirit enlightens the understanding, to show what we need; and sanctifies the heart, so that we dee what is really good for us. He removes our natural orance and blindness. We know not our sinfulness and belief; but the Holy Spirit reproves or convinces the rld "of sin, because they believe not in Christ."* He is shows us our great and alarming danger, and inclines earnestly to seek deliverance.

Our Lord says to the Apostles, "The Comforter, which the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever have said unto you." We may therefore reasonably clude that the Holy Spirit acts upon our minds after s manner, bringing the declarations, the threatenings, I the promises of the word of Christ to our recollection; thereby producing in us a desire to obey his word, esbe his displeasure, and obtain his favor.

The enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Spirit of great importance as to prayer, being needful in pre-ing our hearts for holy intercourse with God, and for deng those things which will glorify Him, and really ben- our own souls.

We know not what to pray for as we ought. St. James rms, "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, consume it on your lusts." This being so, "the Holy rit maketh intercession for us, according to the will God." He directs and guides our minds to right Is in asking, and "the Lord knows the mind of the

ON

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and the r sion for u desires, a have arise "The I within us

of which There are respects, very lowe Holy Spir the deepe words, po and their decry the

ers in our
some meas
There i

the gift a
just distin
and the sp
power of a
language,
So far it is
Dr. Watts