the pride, and vanity, and self-confidence, to which we are so greatly prone.

O infinite mystery of Divine mercy, wisdom, and grace! O the unsearchable depths of the counsels of redemption! And is it then in this way, O our God and Saviour, that, unknown to us, thou art furthering our final salvation? How unfathomable is thy love, that, after the sacrifice of thy own life on the cross, thou hast condescendingly brought us to thyself by the secret energy of thy Spirit, and still guardest us in the ways of righteousness by thy providential control! And is it thus that Thou leadest us, as thou didst Israel of old, in order to "humble us and to prove us, to know what is in our hearts, to do us good at our latter end?" Is it thus that Thou "bringest us by a right way to a city of habitation?" O continue thy goodness and mercy to us! O leave us not to our own choice and our own wisdom! O administer to us such discipline as thou seest needful for us! O preserve us in thy faith, fear, and love, and "grant that, Thou being our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we fiually lose not the things eternal."

We now come to consider,

II. The particular manner in which this confident hope of the humble Christian will be accomplished—"through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

The sanctifying effect of all events is produced by the mutual prayer of Christians for each other, and by the gracious influences of the Holy Ghost. The first is the appointed means, the second is the efficient cause. The first regards our duty, the second, in

fluence of Divine grace. The two are inseparably united. God gives his Spirit, ordinarily, in answer to prayer.

"The effectual fervent prayer" even of an individual Christian on behalf of others, "availeth much." United supplications are yet more successful: for our Saviour has said, If "any two of you agree on carth, touching any thing ye shall ask, it shall be done uute you of my Father which is in heaven." The intercessions, therefore, of all the several Christian churches for the Apostle Paul, must have been eminently calculated to insure the Divine blessing upon him in his afflictive circumstances. This is implied in his language to them. He says to the Corinthians, Who" delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; you also helping

together by prayer for us." And to the Ephesians, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel; for which I am an embassador in bonds." He tells Philemon, "Withal prepare me also a lodging, for I trust through your prayers I shall be given unto you." He exhorts the Thessalonians and the Hebrews, "Brethren, pray for us."

The consequence of this fervent supplication for St. Paul, was that favorable direction of all the events in which he was concerned, which he was persuaded God would vouchsafe him. We are dependent for many blessings on each other, and God attaches to mutual prayer his highest graces. Now never was any one more beloved by the whole body of the faithful, than the Holy Apostle; never was a closer intercourse of intercession maintained than between him and the several churches which he had planted. On his part he "remembered each of them without ceasing in his prayers," he always "labored fervently for them in prayer, that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." On their part, they ceased not to supplicate God for the Apostle. Thus a new tendency was given to the most painful occurrences in St. Paul's life, and things apparently the most unfavorable, turned out to his benefit and final salvation.

A forcible example, amidst many others, of the blessing granted to united devotion, is found in the case of another Apostle, St. Peter, when he was apprehended by Herod, and delivered to the care of four quaternions of soldiers. "Prayer was then made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." In conscquence of this, when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night the angel of the Lord delivered him out of his hand, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews," and, as if to mark more clearly the Divine answer to mutual supplication, the rescued Apostle came to the house of Mary, at the very moment when many were gathered together, praying."

In like manner, the secret and mysterious providence of our heavenly Father still bestows his favors upon us in reply to our mutual intercessions. He thus unites us in closer tics of affection and dependence. As we are connected with each other in various ways, we call down on ourselves and those concerned with

us, the mercy of God. Events, however distressing, are in this manner directed by an infallible guidance, to the furtherance of our salvation. Thus the minister and the people, the magistrate and the private subject, the head of the family and his household, the husband and the wife, the parents and the children, the roaster and the servant, whilst they walk together as heirs of the grace. of life," promote each other's highest interests. Like the several parts of the human body, "if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." Prayer has a mighty effect in healing the little jealousies and disagreements which human infirmity occasions, and in quelling the rising disorder of irritated passions. When events, as they arise, are made the subjects not of controversy, but of prayer; then afflictions excite sympathy, mistakes and crrors receive forgiveness, meekness and forbearance are promoted, the Son of Peace delights to dwell in the heart; and our gracious God vouchsafes to united supplication that superintending influence, by which all things are made to conspire eventually to our salvation.

It will not appear at all surprising that we have so little of the blessing of God on our ministry and fumilies, and connections, when we consider how liltle this devotional temper is cultivated. Our religion is oftentimes too much the religion of education, of habit, of taste, of system, of form, of display, of controversy, of any thing rather than the religion of prayer. A devout spirit is frequently little esteemed amidst our anxieties to settle difficult questions, and determine between conflicting sentiments. Family prayer is too often a brief and languid service; whilst secret prayer degenerates into a cold, uninteresting performance of unwelcome duty. And what is the consequence? Praying little for our households, our children, our congregations, our friends, our families, our dependents, or the church of God; the blessing which God has connected with the cordial and diligent performance of this duty, is of course withheld. Events, in the mean time, perpetually occur, which might have turned to our benefit, had they not, for want of a devotional spirit, been employed as occasions of pride, envy, selfishness, dispute, murmuring, and separation. Thus not only our salvation is not advanced by them, but the things which should have been to our health, become unto us" even 66 an occasion of falling." It is the humble and spiritual Christian alone, who can entertain the holy confidence

of the text, because he alone fulfills with anxious diligence, the condition on which it is suspended.

This will be more evident if we consider the efficient cause of this salutary tendency of events, to the faithful Christian; I mean, "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." The way in which God is pleased to turn every thing to our salvation, is through the gracious aid of the Holy Ghost. This alone can make an affliction truly profitable. And prayer is the means of accomplishing this effect, chiefly as it calls down upon us this heavenly influence.

The Holy Ghost is described as the Spirit of Jesus Christ, because he proceeds from the Son, as well as from the Father, and because the more copious effusion of his grace was purchased by the atonement of Christ's death, and is bestowed by him, now that he has been "by the right hand of God exalted, and has received of the Father the gift of the Holy Ghost." The Spirit is also Christ's representative on earth during his personal absence; he is "the Comforter, whom the Father hath sent in his name." He glorifies Christ, by testifying of his person and work, revealing his salvation, and enabling the penitent by faith to appropriate and rejoice in its blessings. The Holy Ghost was "not given," when our Saviour was on earth, "because that Jesus was not yet glorified." But now, Christ being glorified, "because we are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, so that, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

It may even be said, that it is by the supply of this Spirit of Jesus Christ that all events turn to our salvation, because it is by this supply alone, that the Christian is enabled to bear them. humbly, and learn from them the lessons they are designed to teach. Afflictions have in themselves no natural tendency to produce any holy effects. Indeed, so far from it, "the sorrow of the world worketh death." Saul, in his trouble, perished on his own sword. Ahab, disappointed at Naboth's refusal, turned away his face and would eat no bread. Ahitophel, grieved at the rejection of his counsel, destroyed himself. Judas, tormented with an evil conscience, committed the like dreadful crime. Many professed Christians seem to go on well till "affliction or persecution arising because of the word," they are entangled by the toils of VOL. II.-74

Satan, their real character is disclosed, and partial or total apostacy ensues. Even the sincere Christian is far too weak to support an affliction, to use it to its right ends, or even to meet it at first with a suitable frame of heart, without the supply of the Holy Ghost. When this grace accompanies a calamitous visitation, then, and then only, does it soften, humble, and purify the soul; then, only, it exercises Christian virtues without overwhelming them, and tends to our salvation instead of our injury.

The expression, "a supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," may seem to intimate that on every new occasion of difficulty, an additional communication of assistance is needful, in order to render that difficulty subservient to our final benefit. Our resources must correspond, through the mercy of God, with our necessities, or every thing will decline. Former supplies will not avail us on new emergencies. Our faith soon fails, and our knowledge, our prudence, our fortitude, our resignation, our love, all quickly vanish, when fresh and unlooked-for trials arise. We then often find it impossible to apply our former experience and observation to the instant pressure. It is only by the further supply of continual strength from the Spirit of Christ, that we can maintain the conflict; and such a supply when vouchsafed, like the cooling stream to the exhausted traveler, refreshes, and cheers, and invigorates the soul. It secretly feeds the languid flame which seemed almost extinguished. "Like the dew of Hermon that descended on the Mount of Zion," or like "the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing," it infuses life into the fainting spirit, rouses the drooping heart, and sustains it in the severest combat.

The word which, in the text, is rendered supply, is considered by a great critic, as signifying much more than an ordinary measure of assistance; as expressing the idea of a large supply, a provision of whatever is wanting to the Christian soldier, a collation of auxiliary force, a renewed subsidy of grace, an unu sual succor derived from the invincible and infallible Spirit of God, a power from on high, a heavenly might, which comes in at the very crisis of affairs. For when the battle has long raged and appears almost lost, when the contest is at the very height, when faith begins to fail, the arm to sink, and the soul to tremble,