and no other medium of access by which they may approach to God. They must be offered up with strong and holy desires. In addressing a Being who cannot be deceived and will not be mocked, it must be worse than vain to use expressions merely, and to make a shew of earnestness which we do not feel. They must also be offered up in a spirit of entire dependence upon God. We need not expect he will help us, so long as we feel that we can help ourselves; or that he will bestow his special blessings, while the impression with us is that we can do without them, or can procure them by our own strength. And our prayers must be accompanied by a correspondent example and exertions. We must do and live as well as pray. We must diligently use all appointed and proper means, while we trust and look to the God of grace to give them efficacy and grant success. By persevering prayer and persevering effort, such as have been here described, a world in ruins is to be renovated, and our miserable race will be made partakers of the blessings of the gospel.-Let us then awake at once to diligence in duty, and faithfulness in prayer. It is on our knees, Christians, that we may possess and exert the greatest power. It is by a life of humble, fervent, persevering, and consistent prayer, that we may most effectually aid the cause of Christ, and most richly bless those around us who are ready to perish. "Prayer moves the hand that moves the world.”

DISCOURSE VII.

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PRAYER.

John xvi. 24.

"Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

THESE words appear to be not so much the language of authority, as of consolation and love. They were intended, doubtless, to convey warm and affectionate encouragement in the duty of prayer. "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."-In treating here of the encouragements to prayer, I shall confine myself to a consideration of some of the principal evidences that God hears prayer, and is disposed, so far as it can be consistent, to return answers of peace. And,

1. The perfections of God furnish evidence of this nature, and may be a source of encouragement to his people in the duty of prayer. The God whom they love, and in whom they trust, they have the happiness to regard as the sole and supreme possessor of every natural and moral perfection. He is the allwise, powerful, benevolent, and gracious Sovereign of the world, whose eye is ever upon his creatures, and whose government reaches to all events. He knows the situation of his children, and he is infinitely able to help them. He knows under all circumstances what they need, and he possesses those blessings

which they need in exhaustless profusion. If they are weak, he is strong; and if they have nothing, he has all things. At the same time, they are taught to believe that he loves them, and is a Father to them.He is a better Father infinitely, than any created being could be. He has patience to bear with their frequent provocations, and grace to come over the mountains of their sins.-Is not this view of the character and perfections of God a comforting one to his needy people? And does it not furnish them with high encouragement to go to him in humble prayer ? When they approach the mercy seat of such a Being in a holy, fervent, and proper manner, can it be that he will reject them? Can it be that he will frown them from his presence, and send them unpitied and empty away?

2. The fact that God invites, exhorts, and commands his people to pray to him, not only makes it their duty to pray, but furnishes them with strong encouragement to pray. What is prayer? It is the act of going to God with affection and earnestness, and asking him to bestow a needed favor. Now this act, God graciously requires and exhorts his people to perform. He virtually says to them, "Come, my people, to me, your heavenly Father-make known to me your wants -tell me freely your cares and sorrows pour your complaints into my bosom. Whatever you need, either for yourselves or others, come with boldness to my throne, and present your requests."-Expressions similar in import to these are frequent in the Scriptures; and is it not necessarily implied in each of them, that God will listen to the cries of his people-that he will hear and answer prayer? Why should he encourage them to pray, if he did not mean to hear them? Why should he com

mand them to draw near to him, and tell him their wants, and ask his help; if he did not intend to afford them a supply?

3. Saints have strong encouragement to pray, arising from the fact that God has heard and answered prayer in all past ages. Do any doubt this fact? The Scripture is filled with instances, which I need not here repeat, in which prayer has brought down blessings in abundance for the people of God, and judgments on his foes.-We have also the testimony of holy and inspired men, that God has heard and answered their requests. "In my distress," says the Psalmist, "I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God; he heard my voice out of his holy temple, and my cry did enter into his ears."—"I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation."-" I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."" I cried by reason of my affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me ; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice."-Nor for testimony of this nature are we indebted to the scriptures alone. Multitudes have lived since the days of the Psalmist and the Apostles, who have received not only temporal deliverances but spiritual blessings in answer to prayer; and who have been able to say with joy and confidence, that the Lord hath heard the voice of their supplication, and hath pitied and saved them in a day of trouble.But all these instances are so many encouragements to the christian to continue in prayer. With God there is no 66 respect of persons." If he has heard and answered the cries of his people in other ages; he doubtless may be expected to do the same now.

4. The numerous promises of God that he will hear and answer prayer afford his people the highest

encouragement in this duty.-Promises of this description, expressed in every variety of form, and conveying all that assurance which language has power to convey, are interspersed throughout the Bible." It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and whiles they are yet speaking, I will hear."-"Ye shall call upon me, and I will hearken unto you; and ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone ; or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent; or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, 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 ?""Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

These promises are but a specimen of perhaps hundreds, of similar import. And they are all of them, it will be recollected, the promises-not of a changeable fellow creature, but of an unchangeable God;-not of one who, with upright intentions may be prevented from fulfilling them by unforeseen casualties, but of him to whom no casualties can be unfore ́seen, and whose truth and faithfulness never fail. Certainly then they must afford high encouragement to praying souls. They afford, it would seem, all possible encouragement to the children of God, to continue instant and fervent in prayer.