Vermont telegraph. [volume], January 21, 1836, Image 1

About Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843

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1APH
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.... ORSON 3- MURRAY, EDITOR' AND PUBLISHER. t : .:. t UI AM SET FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL EPHRAIM MAXHAM, PRINTER.
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VbttiVrit. . ., 'brandon, Thursday, January 21, mo. number 17.
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grafB
" PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.
' PART I.
Tho following essay is designed to show
that ercry truly regenerate peison will
perscrera unto eternal glory.
" By persererence of the saints is not
meant that they do not sometimes bark
slide from Gou, or that, undar the influ
ence of sudden or stronr temptation, they
do not become guilty of great wickedness,
"as in the cases of Pe'er nnd avid; but
lhat they do not fall back into a graceless,
, unrf generate state., such as they were in
before.their conversion that they do not
sin from enmity to G6d, as cirnaf.rrten do,
and as they tfrmttlca once did; that not
withstanding their too frequent departures
from the path, of duty, they will, on the
'whole! rnrogress In holiness of heart and
life, so as at last to inherit the kingdom of
GO U
On what considerations does the final
. perseverance of the saints rest?
1. Not on any undying principle of
holiness supposed to te implanted in re
generation. The renewed man, though
wholly forgiven, is but pirtially sanctifiI.
Ani jt cannot bo-supposed that love to
God in a regenerate soul should necessa
lily tossess in itself anr more of the char
acteristics of immortality, th-m it did in
our first parents; where it existed in a
more perfect state, unmixed w ith sin.
2. Nor is it to bo ascribed to any
change supposed to be made in the re
quirements of the moral law. The pre-
eepts of a law founded in tha fitness of
things, can nereT be annulled nor lessened
down, to accommodate it to- the infirmities
of men. . The regenerate person ia not ab
solved from his obligation to keep alt the
TTuuiremenia 01 ine uivinc law; am 11 ne
il he tills under its penalty, and can be th An? ,a, lfne Z l
.0 . . ... .iinfw hi nennle. Reference is here
h 1 triA. 1 1 il uuiv 111 roil th rna rnnnram 1
a 1 .. a .
exercise of repentance toward God and
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In which
rk. !'.. r l l:. v i . j - . i
vo utsi icuua- aiitsii ais OlOO'J ior me i
.4Ari.:. :.: . : j
ftha.,.nUhmr1.H,rt ,k- I(t2a ,
jo an, 1: y ana iu j.
3. Ills perseverance is not the result
of any necessity of hrs renewed nature.
He does not cease to be n moral agent.
God does not shut him up in a cage or put
a chain about his neck, and drag him ir
resistibly on in the way in which he should
go; not will he take nira to heaven, ex
cept n the way of obedience. Progress
ive holiness of heart and life are implied
in persvrrane, and inlispensable to a
good .hope of heaven. Thebitever pro
gresses not i single step in the divine life,
except through tho medium of his own
free and roluutary exeitions. Yet,
4.f His perseverance rests neither up
on kit own efortt, independent of the di-
yjoe agency, nor upon the divine agency,
independent of his own efforts. Both are
mutual and he is kept br the vovttr
. . God through faUNufa'tk which work
cth by love' purifieth the heart, and oTer
cometh the. world.
.. . '.The ptcseventnee of the saints rests on
the tower, of God, exerted in his supcrin-
pending providence, and also through the
geocy and exertions of the saints them-
; What is th nature of this power, and
how U it exerted in conjunction with the
, agency cf the creature? It ia not physical
moral, wholly moral, so far a ft is
. the s eierted.- It it exerted by placing rno
t lives before the believer calculated to in
. :fiuen? him to do what is implied id per-
sererance, to hold on his way inferring
..?od,I. These consist in .the instructions
necessary to show him his duty, and 1 the
4i3ctllties which lie in the way of his do
injj it; learnings, exhortation and pront'
-iiesVi it : j - -j
.c.J'.i Instrtfctions ard indispensable, for
I no nun can do what otherwise would be
: duty, unless- h? has the means of knowing
.what ii is; nor will hft .be likely to do- it
. anccesafully. while he is -ignorant of .the
rd Acuities jtnd;dangers of the way an
f ffertlit may: be inqi'.whataxethey?
sr. if tha doctrine of berseveranee be -ini is
if there any danger; of ; filling nd coming
-thoxt cf heirenl ? Y c thrn ii danec-so
. :.i (xr obedience ani -progressiT holiness f
- d:;:3i fcathi agency of the belierer;r ui ;
it lift in the fact that his efforts are taken
into the account end aie indispensable to
his balvation Pfor can it be' shown that
God has purposed the peiseveiance and
salvation of any telievcr independently of
I ma own agency ana enoiis. nence no
purpose of Goi which does not embrace
the voluntary obedience of the believer,
n h V. . T .J .H iH.iirmAllnlaklA xn
tuu w icau as ui luauuuvuinauic vainer
to his return 10 tin. He can do it if he
will. The woid can is here used in its
li:eral sense, implying that if he desire
and strive to. apostatize he has all the fac
ulties which are necessary, and there is
no natural impossibility in the way of his
doing it. If ne is a moral agent, he has
all the natural faculties necessary to obe
dience and is able to obey, and if so, he is
able also to disobey, otherwise he is not a
moral agent. If then, , there is a possibil
ity and is danger that the heliever ju Je
aua may fall through ignftrance or unfaith
fulness, in order to secure his persevering
obedience unto salvation ; we see the- ne
cessitv of that moral power, which God I
eiertaon him through the instrumentality!
of his law addressed to his understanding
as a rule to regulate his life, and to guide
me aecisions 01 nis conscience, ana tnro'
those motivts contained in the warnings,
exhortations and promises found in the
Bible. For without these it can hardly
be supposed that a single regenerate rxr-
laon would hold on his way. And in the
a w v A
ena we Da, proaawy see tne exact adap-
tation of these motives to produce the de-
sired effect, ness." Ps. xxviii: 8, and xxix, ll.
2. Warnings form a most important Is. xl : 29,31.
item in the grand system of means design-( Such assurances may convince the
cdto secure the perseverance of believers christian that, looking to God for help, he
and they imply that there is a possibility, j will be able to hold out to the end of life,
of falling from grace ; i. e. if any choose But even this is not enough. If he per
to neglect duty and. resolve to go on in sin, j severes to the end, will he be saved ?
there is no natural difficulty or msur-j This question must be settled in the affir
mountable barrier to prevent their doing 1 mative, and a sufficient foundation laid for
it. Some of these show also that if any ! his faith and hope to rest upen in order to
should once fail their damnation is inevit-1 move the SDrings of action and draw from
able. Heb. vi. .4, 6. " For it is impossi
ble for those who were once enlighteded.
and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
and hvj tasted the good word of God,
ani the cower of the world to come, if
they shall fall away to renew them again
to repentance: seeing that they cr.ucify
to themselves the son of God afresh; and
put h m to an open shame." Heb. x : 26,
31. ' For if we sin wilfully after that we
have received the knowledge of the truth,
thoreremainctnno more sacrifice for sins,
but a certain fearful ' looking for of judg
ment and fiery indignation which shall
devour the adversaries. He that despis-
. ...... 1 1
ed Moses' law, did without mercy under
two or three witnesses ; of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he ba
thought vf orthy who nath trodden under
foot tne Son of God, and hath counted the
blood of the covenant, where with he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done
despite to the spirit of grace? For ye
know him that nath saia, vengeance b
longeth unto me, I will recompense saith
mm aw a w
1 had tn tha lowisn law irsum. 15: SV. 1.1
j ,
under w hieh no atonement could be made
for presumptuous sins. John xv : 6.
.. -r f -v:J . : . i : .
" ll any man omuc nui in nie. ue cuai
forth as a branch, and is withered; and
men gather them, and cast them into the
fire, and they are DurneaV t or otner
warnings of a similar nature see, 2 Pet.
2: 20,21. Ezek. xviii: 24. Heb. iv :
7.. Here are, most solemn warnings ad
dressed to believers, manifestly implying
that they can, fall, and are in danger of
doing it. I hey are, however, all suppos-
!ej cases, ami do not show that any ever
have fallen away, or that any ever will
do it. But they p'ainly show that if any
dopnee fill, there is in their case no hope
of a second repentance and pardon
Now if there is any real danger of our
coming short and losing our souls, and if;
our own personal .efforts are indispensa
ble to our perseverance,', we see the pro
priety of those exhortations which in the
Bibie, are addressed to believers. 1 Cor.
x ; 12- a Wherefore let him that think
eth hestandeth take heed lest he fall."
1 Cor. ix : 34. So run that ye may ob
tain.' 2 Pet. i: 10,11. "Wherefore
the rather, brethren, give dilligence to
make your calling and election sure; fort
if ye do these things, ye shall never fall ;
for so an entrance shall be ministered unto !
you abundantly into the everlasting king
dom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'
See also Mark xiv t 38. Heb. iv: Land
12,14, 15, 16,17,25. i
These and similar exhortations are!
among the means which God has institut
ed to Secure the perseverance of the saints.
And their adaptation to guard them
against presumption, inattention and sloth
fulness, and to stir them up to that cau
tious and unceasing exertion implied in
perseverance, most be masifest to all. '
, - Neither .do . these exhortations prove
that any ever.hact fallen, or ever will ;
but they 'point out the course of conduct
necessarv to nrevenf it. ' Now as the
maminfr nd Vrw of the-Rihle
do -not, on the one hand, prove thedoctrine
o
of falling from grace so on the otner they
do hot establish the certain perseverance
Of the taints- Other 'evidences must "be
adduced to decide the question.' -If it can
be shown from scripture history that any
truly regenerated soul ever nas lallen lrom
grace ana Deen lost, too oocrrme 01 iaiung
from grace' is true. But if no such in-
stance can be adduced with certainty, (and
none such have been found,) and if on the
other hand, the most definite declarations
are made that all who are born of the
Spirit will hold on their way and be saved
at last ; then the doctrine of final persever
ance of the' saints is established.
As other scriptures than those adduced
are necessary to prove the perseverance
of the saints, so other motives than those
contained in warnings and exhortations
are indispensable to secure it. These ad
dressed to their consciences and to their
fears although necessary, cannot be relied
upon, without other motives adapted to
bring into exercise the two great springs
of action in the human mind faith and
hope. Were it not for confidence in the
christian to'hold his way.
After all the warnings and exhortations,
.1 1 . -1
tne christian may say mere are so many
difficulties to encounter and so manv dan.
cers in the way, and 1 am so weak and
hae such a DroDensitv to e-0 astrav that
1 shall certainly fail and I
may
as
well
giveitupnow. 1 o sucn uod says : Isa.
xli : 10, 44 Fear thou not; for I am with
thee ; be not dismayed ; for I am thy God ;
I will strengthen thee ; yea I will help
thee; yea I will uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousness.1' 2 Cor.
xii: 9. "Mv 2Tace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weak-
him those efforts which are indispensable
to perseverance. Christ says, Matt, xxiv,
13, He that shall endure to theendthe
same shall be saved." Rev. ii : 7, ' To
him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the tree of life, which is in the midst of
the paradise of God," 10 "Be thou faith
ful unto death and I will give thee a crown
oflife."
Paul felt the influence of these. 2 Tim.
i : 12, "I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him
against that day." 1 Thess. v : 23, 24.
" And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly ; and I pray God your whole
. . . .... .
spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth
you, who also will do it."
The following declarations are among
those on whkh the doctrine of final per
severance of the saints is founded. John
v : 24, " Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my uord, and beliereth
o?t him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation, but
is passed from death unto life.1' Here is
a plain unequivocal declaration that such
as hear the son and believe on him that
sent him, in other words that are regener
ated, ' shall not come into condemnation
and a thousand warnings and exhortations
will not in the least weaken, much less,
do away the truth of this testimony. The
truth then, of the sentiment, that every
truly regenerate person will persevere
unto eternal life does not rest on inferen
ce! testimony, but on the veracity of
Christ.
Jesus discussed this subject at large in
the sixth chapter of John where he repre
sents it as the will of the Father that of all
he had given him he should lose nothing.
but should raise it up at the last day, and
he repeats the assurance that he xcill do it
John vi : 35, 3740, "I am the bread of
life, he that cometh to me shall never hun-
ger ; ana he
neveT thirst."
i e
that
believeth on me shall
All that the Father
giveth me. shall
come to me ; and him
that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast
out. For I came down from heaven, not
to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent mc. And this is the Father's
will which hath sent me, that of all which
he hath given me, 1 should lose nothing,
but should raise it up again at the last
day. And this is the will of htm that
sent me, that every one that sceth the son.
and believeth on him, may have everlast
ing life, and I toill raise him up at th'
last day.!1
Nothing can be more definite and une- j
quivocal than these positive declarations j
of Jesus that he will raise Up at the last j
day " every one which seeth the son and I
believeth on him." And the assurance is
not a conditional one. There is no if, j
nor any contingency implied in it. If the j
Savior had designed to settle and confirm
the doctrine beyond all
rnsiM rontro
vpv h chntf nnt have fnnnH lnncruaffe
r-o .nnrnnrKi. v ao.in,,, nd
dwelt UDon the subiect. repeating again
rrl rnin thp xontimpnt alrnir nrlimnred.
verse 44. 4. 47 J51 ."No man can come
, , '
r . ..... .
to me. except the Father which hath sent
me draw him. and I will raise him up at
the last day. It ia written in the proph-
ets, and they shall be all taught ol God
Every man therefore, that hath heard, and
hath learned of the Father, cometh to me.
T .... UA tUot .
l:-..k , VU I nm
! the bread oflife. Your fathers did eat
UO CM Ulv 1UIU1 CICIUUUUV U1V.
srreat Captain of our salvation, and hove heaven; not as your fathers did eat man- ye snail have them.
of a hanDV triumph at last, no other con- na oxd are dead: he that eateth of this that the thing to be
side ration would avail to influence the 1 brtadrshrtlllive
manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
; This is the bread which cometh down
'from heaven, that a man may eat thereof.
ana no die. 1 am the living bread which
came down from heaven ; if any man eat
of this bread, he shall live foreve-
ana
the bread that I will give in my flesh,
which I will give for the li'eof the world,
54 58. Whosoever eateth my flesh
anddrinketh my bloody hath eternal life ;
and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh Is meat indeed and my blood
is uruiK maeed. tie mat eaietn my nesn, 1 v 1 ha i 1 tia 1 nuua hand method of disposing of the Spirit's
and drinketh my blood, dvvelleth in me, i WHICH HE SAITH SHALL COME j influences in prayer. Certainly, to as
and I in him. As the living Father hath TO PASS, he shall have whatsoever he sume that he prayed in faith, is to assume
sent me, and I live by the Father; so he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what j either that he prayed in faith without be
that eateth me even he shall live by me. j things soever ye desire, when ye pray, ! ng led by the Spirit, or that the Spirit of
This is that bread which came down from ; believe that ye receive them, and God led him toDrav for that which was
forever.1' In this connex-
ion, the phrases, cometh to mt believeth
071 me and eateth my flesh, manifestly
mean the same thing, namely, conversion
I from sin to God i. e. repentance towards
! God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hence it is manifest, from the above dec -
larations that when Chrid ceases to live
by the living Father who s?nt him, then,
and not till then, will a soul that is born of
the spirit fall from grace and fail ol eter- j would be wrought, belore he had lulhlled, away, by slighting or neglecting his heav
nal life. ; the condition ? inasmuch as the condition ' enly influences when he invites you to
This is confirmed by the definite prom- i was, that he should believe that he should ' pray.
ise of Christ made directly to his follow, j
ers. John xiv : 19. "Because I live ve
shall live also." May we not then say to ;
the saints with an inspired anostle, Phil,
i: 6, "Being confident of this very thing,
j
that he which hath begun a good work m t
you, will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ." See also Rev. i : 18. Jer.
xxxii: 40. Rem. viii: 2839. These
declarations and promises not only fur
nish nroof nf the dnrtrine of the saints'
perseverance, but are among the most im-
portant means which God uses to secure j that the Spirit of God could give evidence, the good impulses ol the Holy Ghost.
it. Here then, are instructions concern-ion which to believe that any particular j No wonder Christians don't have the spir
ing the path to be pursued warnings'; miracie would be granted; could lead the I i of prayer, if they are unwilling to take
suited to the character ot the rash and pre
sumptuous traveller exhort it'ons for the
careless and dilatory and promisesto en
courage the timid and desponding.
Such are the means and motives used
by the Captain of our salvation to secure
the perseverance of his saints in the path
of obedience to final glory.
FINNEY'S LECTURES.
LECTURE VI.
Concluded from our last.
Spirit of Prayer.
TrxT. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities ; for we know not wht we should
pray for 3 we ought ; but the Spirit itself mak
eth intercession for us with groan in gs which
rannut be uttered. And he that aeaicheth the
hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints,
according to the will of God. Romans viii.
26, 27.
1. Why do you suppose it is, that so
little stress is laid on the influences of the
Spirit in prayer, when so much is said
about his influences in comersion?
M.iny people are amazingly afraid the
Spirit's influences will be left out. They
lay great stress on the Spirit's influences
in converting sinners. But how little is
said, how little is printed, about his influ
ence in prayer? How little complain ng
that people do not make enough of the
Spirit s influences in leading Christians
to pray according to the will of God !
Let it never be forgotten, that no Christ
ian ever prays aright, unless led by the
Spirit. He has natural power to pray,
and so far as the will of God is revealed,
is able to do it; but he never does, unless
the Spirit of God influences him. Just as
sinners are able to repent, but never do,
unless influenced by the Spirit.
I. This subject lays open the founda-j
tion of the difficulty felt by many persons j
on the subject of the Prayer of Faith. j
They object to the idea that faith in prayer
is a belief that we shall receive the very
things for which we ask; and insist that j
there can be no foundation or evidence up-1
on which to rest such a belief. In a ser-!
mon published a few years since, upon j
this subject, the writer brings forward this;
difficulty, and presents it in its full strength. !
I have, says he, no evidence that the
thing prayed for will be granted, until I
have prayed in faith; because, praying in
faith is the condition upon which itia prom
ised. And of course I cannot claim the
promise, until I have fulfilled the condi-
tion. Now, it the condition is, that 1 am
to believe I shall receive the very bles -
sings
for which I ask, it is evident that
the promise is given unon the perform-
a tJ I l
ance of an impossible condition, and is of
course a mere nuliity. The promise
would amount to just this: You shall have
whatsoever you ask, upon the condition
that you hrst believe that you shall receive
it. Now, I must fulfil the condition be -
i 10 e A Can claim UK- promise
But I can
I hive no evidence that I shall
receive it,
until 1 hnvp hf'lir'.vpn lhit I shall rpc.iv
i tt. 1 hlS reduces me tO the neCeSSlty of
1 , 1 . 1,11, -. . S
i oeueveing mat l s nan receive ltorei
: auj ciurucc ma. x oau leceive n
! kni-o ..:j u.,, TA.ii - :
I which is impossible.
j L he whole force of this objection arises
J out of the fact, that ths Spirit s infi
tns Smrirs influences
are entirplv nvprlookprl which he exerts
m leading an individual to the exercise ol
. . . . J '
Ifukh It liso Kium cnnr3l that f Hp ml-
i tacm rn MarL- -ri OO nnH 9-i with Other
I 13 - " .
kindred promises on the subject ot tne
Prayer of Faith, relate exclusively to mir
acles. But sunDOse this were true. I
would ask, What were the apostles to be
lieve, when they prayed for a miracle ?
Were they to believe that the precise mira-
cie wouia De nertormea ior wnicn tnev
1 1 111 j. 11.1
prayed ? It is evident that thev were.
In the verses just alluded to, Christ says,
" For verily I say unto you, that whoso-
evpr shall sav unto this mountain, tse thou ;
removed, and be thou cast into the sea. and
shall not doubt in his heart, but SHALL;
Here it is evident,
believed, and which
they were not to doubt m their hearts,
was, that they should have the very bles-
j sings ior wnicn tnev prayed. iow trie
objection above stated, lies in all its force
: against this kind of faith, when praying
for the performance of a miracle. If it be;
; impossible to believe this m praying for
. 1 -
a"y other blessing, it was equally so in
praying for
miracle. I might ask,
j Could an apostle believe that the miracle
receive that for which he prayed. Either
the promise is a nullity and a deception,
"r there is a possibility of performing the
condition.
Now, as I have said, the whole diffi-
culty lies in the fact that the Spirit's influ-
ences are entirely overlooked, and that
faith which is of the operation of God, is
left out of the question. If the objection
is good against praying for any object, it
is as ono) no-.qinsf nrarintr in faith for thn
performance of a miracle The fact is,
mind to
a Lrm
reliance upon God, and
trust that jhe blessing sought would be ob
tained. And so at the present day he can
give the same assurance, in praying for
any blessing that we ne. Neither in
the one case or the other, are the influen-!
ces oj tne spirit miraculous. Praying is
the same thing, whether you pray for the
conversion of a soul, or for a miracle.
Faith is the same thing in the one case as
in the other; it only terminates on a differ
ent object, in the one case on the conver
sion of a soul, and in the other on the per
formance of a miracle. Nor is faith exer
cised in the one more than in the other,
without reference to a promise; and a gen
eral promise may with the same propriety
be applied to the conversion of a soul as to
the performance of a miracle. And it is
equally true in the one case as the other,
that no man ever prays in faith without
being influenced by the Spirit of Gcd.
And if the Spirit could lead the mind of an
apostle to exercise faith in regard to a mir
acle, he can lead the mind of another
Christian to exercise faith in regard to re-
I ceiving any other blessing, by a reference
1 to the rarae general promise.
j Should any one ask, "When are we
vnder an obligation to believe that
we
we
shall receive the blessing for which
ask ?" I answer :
(1.) When there is a particular promise, j
specifyiny the particular blessing: as where 1
we pray "for the Holy Spirit. This bles-
sing is particularly named in the promise, 1
and here we have evidence, and are bound
to believe, whether we have any Divine!
I lnnutnce or not; just as sinners are bound
to repent whether the Spirit strives with
j them or not. Their obligation rests, not
! upen the Spirit's influences, but upon the
I povveis of moral agency which they pos-
sess; upon their ability to do their duty.
Ana wniie it is true that not one ol them
ever will repent, without the influences cfj
the Spirit, still they have power to do so, 1
and are under obligation to do so, whether ;
the Spirit strives with them or not. So j
with the Christian. He is bound to be
lieve where he has evidence. And al
though he never does believe, even where
he has an express promise, without the '
Spirit of God, yet his obligation to do so
rests upon his ability, and not upon the
Divine influence.
(2.) WThere God makes a revelation by
his providence, we are bound to believe in
propoition to the clearness of the provi
dential indication.
(3.) So where there is a prophecy, we
arebnunrl alsn tn Violiovo Rut in neither
nr ,ue nspa jn ... . ft hlieve. with-
1 niith Q-,t nrnn!i
But where there is neither promise,
providence, nor prophecy, on which to re-j
.- f . mi. . . . . 1 . via rll 1 rrr 1 1 rn ,
to believe unless, as I have shown in this
discourse, ihe'Spirit gives us evidence,
I by creating desires, and by leading us to
i Drav ror a narticular obiect. In the case
;0f thnsp nrnmips nf a o-eneral nature.
: where we are honestly at a loss to know
in whnt mnrt'Tnln.r cases to anDlv them.
i i Ii r o a mir TIi
lpcrp thnn as our dutu. in many instances.
u may uc cvjusjcici cu i wu utur
O ' . . W
to i tnem to particular cases; but
whenever tne spim oi vjroa leaas us to ap-
, ri J ., .f n.n i
j piy them to a particular object, then it be-
comes our duty so to apply them. In this
case, jroa expuuns nis own promise, ana
shows how he desimipd it should be ap -
, . , , . o ... . i
, piiea. Ana men out obligation to mae
this a Tin! i rsMnn tirtA tn 1 Motra in reference
tO this TArticiilar nKiv- rp main 8 in full
J -
lore.
- r 3. Some have supposed that Paul pray-
eu 111 iann lor me removal ot the morn in
the flesh, and that it was not granted.
But they cannot prove that Paul prayed
in faith. The presumption is all on the
other side, as I have shown in a former
lecture. He had neither promise, nor
prophecy, nor providence, nor the Spirit
0f God, to lead him to believe. The whole
objection goes on the ground that the
apostle might pray in faith without being
d hv thf Smrit. This i rrnlva short-
not according to the will of God.
I have dwelt the more on this subiect.
j because I want to have it made so olain.
that you wall all be careful not to grieve
: the Spirit. I want you to have high ideas
j of the Holy Ghost, and to feel that nothing
No praying or preaching will be of any
avail without him. If Jesus Christ wero
! to come down here and preach to sinners,
not one would be converted without the
j Spirit. Be careful then not to grieve him
! 4.
sarv
In praying for an object, it is neces-
to persevere till you obtain it. O,
, with
what eagerness Christians some-
! times
ursue a sinner in their prayers.
when the Spirit of God has fixed their de
sires on him ! No miser pursues his
gold with so fixed a determination.
5. The fear of being led by impulses
has done great injury, by not being duly
considered. A person's mind may be led
' by an isrnis fatvus. But we do wrong, if
we let the fear of impulses lead us to resist
the trouble to distinguish; and so rejector
resist all lmnulses, and all leadings of in
visible agents. A great deal has been
said about fanaticism, that is very unguard
ed, and that causes many minds to reject
the leadings of the Spirit of God. "As
many as are the sons of God, are led by
the Spirit of God." And it is our duty to
"try the spirits, whether they be of God."
We should insist on a close scrutiny, and
an accurate discrimination. There must
be such a thing as being led by the Spirit.
And when we are convinced it is of God,
we should be sure to follow follow on,
with full confidence that he will not lead
us wrong.
6. We see from this subject the absurd
ity of using forms of prayer. The very
idea of using a form, rejects, of eourse,
the leadings of the Spirit. Nothing is
more calculated to destroy the spirit of
prayer, and entirely to darken and con
fuse the mind, as to what constitutes pray
er, than to use form's. Forms of prayer
are not only absurd in themselves, out
they are the very device of the devil to des
troy the spirit and break the power of
prayer. It is of no use to say the form is
a good one. Prayer does not consist in
words. And it matters not what the words
are, if the heart is not led by the Spirit of
God If the desire is not enkindled, the
thoughts directed, and the whole current
of feeling produced, and led by the Spirit
f God, it is not prayer. And set forms
are' of all things, best calculated to keep
an maiviuua; irom praying as he ought.
. 1 he subject 1111 mshes a test gi char
acter. The Spirit maketh intercession
lor whom ? For the saints. Those who
are saints are thus exercised. If you are
saints, you know by experience what it is
to be thus exercised, or it is because you
have grieved the Spirit of God, so that he
will not lead you. You live in rucha
manner, that this Holy Comforter will not
dvvell witri You' nor Slve You the sPirit of
prayer, ii mis is so, you must repf nt.
Whether you are a Christian or not, don't
stop to settle that, but repent, as if yu
never had repented. Do your first works.
Don't take it for granted that you are a
Christian, but go like a humble sinner,
and pour out your heart unto the Lord.
You never can have the Spirit of prayer
in any other way.
8. The importance of understanding
this subject.
(1.) In order to be useful. Without
this spirit there can be no such sympathy
between you and God, that you can ei
ther walk with God or work with God.
You need to have a strong beating of your
heart with his, or you need not expect to
be greatly useful.
(2.) As important as vour sanctifica
tion. Without such a spirit you will not
be sanctified, you will not understand the
Bible, you will not know how to apply it
to your case. I want you to feeLtne im
portance of having God with you all the
time. If you live as you ought, he says,
he will come unto you, and make his
abode with you, and sup with you, and
you with him.
i yuu v in '
9. If people know not tne spirit of pray.
. ' 1 . ,. .
er, they are very api io ce unpeiievmg in
regam iua
i j .-. th ri.:s m tu.
to the results
don't see what takes place, or dont see th
connection, or don't see tbe evidence.-
They are not expecting spiritual blessings.
i vvhen sinners are convicted, they think
.u 1 r: ji -U. a :v.t
, mcy ate umy uikuwuw uy tucu
prencuuig. auu wxira peopj& arc wu
verted, thev feel no confidence, and only
say, We'll see how they turn out."
i;
no