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had understood, from the prophecies of Jeremiah, that the time for the close of the Babylonish captivity was near at hand: and he set himself to seek more particular instruction from God respecting it, in order that he might be able to take advantage of such circumstances as might occur for the benefit of his nation. "I set my face," says he, "unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God." And now behold the effect!" And whiles I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation, and informed me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding: at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth; and I am come to shew thee all that thou didst ask." See what expedition was used, by God's special command, to answer whilst in the very act of prayer; and to let him know, that, at the very commencement of his suit, his prayer was heard!

More on this subject is unnecessary: yet less could scarcely have been spoken, if we would in any degree do justice to it.]

2. For ourselves

[I mention this last, because it is, in reality, the greatest: for the prayers which are offered in behalf of others, prevail only for the obtaining of some temporal blessing: they cannot certainly procure for men the salvation of their souls: for, if they could, no creature would ever perish. When Stephen prayed, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," it prevailed probably in behalf of Saul, and perhaps of some others: but it cannot be supposed that it succeeded in behalf of all. But for a man's own self his prayer is sure to prevail. There is no limit to the benefits which he shall receive, provided only he ask according to the will of God. He may not be answered in the particular way that he may desire. The cup, for the removal of which the Lord Jesus Christ himself prayed, was not taken out of his hands; nor was the thorn for the extraction of which St. Paul cried with such eager importunity removed: but both he and his divine Master were answered in a way more consonant with the purposes of Jehovah. But in some way, and that the best, prayer shall most assuredly e answered to all who cry to God in sincerity and truth.

k Dan. ix. 3, 4, 20—23.

1 Jer. xxix. 13.

Whatever they ask in Christ's name, shall be given them". Let them " open their mouth ever so wide, it shall be filled"." They may exhaust all the powers of language in their petitions, and may then extend their thoughts to the utmost limit of a finite conception; and they shall not only have all, but more than all, yea, " abundantly above all that they can ask or think."]

The assertion in our text deserves the most attentive consideration on its own account; but more especially on account of,

II. The insight which it gives us into truths of the greatest importance

From this we obtain an insight into,

1. The character of God

[We think of God, for the most part, as a Being cf infinite majesty, who, unless in matters of very extraordinary moment, does not trouble himself with the concerns of men: and hence, if a person were to speak of having received answers to his prayers, he would be accounted wild, visionary, and presumptuous. But let God be viewed as he is represented in the text let him be viewed as noticing with the deepest interest the very least and meanest of his children; as attending to their every cry, and treasuring up in his vials their every tear". Not so much as a "breathing" of theirs escapes his notice; or a desire, of which they themselves perhaps are scarcely conscious. The highest archangel does not more engage his attention, than does a poor despised Lazarus: nor is he less concerned about every individual amongst his people, than if there were but one in the whole universe. This is the true light in which to view his condescension and grace; of which a mother's feelings towards her first-born child afford but a slender and very inadequate idea'.]

2. The Christian's state

[In respect of external appearance, there is no difference between a child of God and any other person: but in reality, as they are viewed by God, they are widely dissimilar. In the one God beholds his own image: in the other, the image of the wicked one. On the one he looks with pleasure and complacency: the other he views afar off, with utter disdain. To

m John xiv. 13, 14. and xv. 7. and xvi. 23. and 1 John iii. 22. and v. 14, 15.

n Ps. lxxxi. 10.

9 Ps. cxlv. 18, 19. s Ps. cxxxviii. 6.

• Eph. iii. 20. Lam. iii. 56.

P Ps. lvi. 8.
r Isai. xlix. 15.

the one his ears are open, to hear their every request: "the sacrifices of the other are an abomination to him"." Look at Abraham, when interceding for Sodom: there you see the friend of God. Look at those who, merely under the pressure of some calamity, cry and plead for help, whilst yet they have no love to God in their hearts: there you see the contrast; for God "laughs at their calamity, and mocks at their fear." And all this is but a prelude to that which will speedily be accomplished in them; when the one shall be called to his right hand, and be exalted to a throne of glory; and the other be turned to his left hand, and be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Ungodly men endeavour to persuade themselves that all this is nothing but a vain conceit: but the Jews, notwithstanding all their blindness, could see that this difference did exist: "We know," say they, "that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he hearethy." Do ye then know it: for, whether ye will believe it, or not, so it is: nor are light and darkness, Christ and Belial, heaven and hell, further asunder, than are the children of God, and the children of the wicked one.]

3. The use and excellency of the Gospel

[It is the Gospel alone that can bring a man into this happy state. Nothing else can shew him how to draw nigh to God with acceptance, or to obtain reconciliation with him. This exhibits to us a Saviour; a Saviour, who bought us with his blood. This brings us into union with that Saviour, so that we are made "one spirit with hima," and are entitled to a participation of all that he himself possesses; "of the love wherewith the Father loveth him";" of " the joy with which his soul is filled;" and "of the glory which the Father hath given to him." Here is the true secret of the difference of which we have before spoken. The believer is viewed as in Christ; as washed in his blood; as clothed in his righteousness; as altogether "one with him, even as the Father and Christ are one." This accounts for all which we have before mentioned of the believer's peculiar and exalted privileges. Let me then entreat you, beloved, to embrace the Gospel without delay; seeing that through that alone you can have access to God, and obtain that fellowship with him which it is your privilege to enjoy.]

TO CONCLUDE—

t Ps. xxxiv. 15, 16.

y John ix. 31.

b John xvii. 23.

e John xvii. 21.

u Prov. xv. 8.

z 2 Cor. vi. 14-16.

c John xvii. 13.

x Prov. i. 24-28.
a 1 Cor. vi. 17.
d John xvii. 22.

[Bear in mind to whom these privileges belong: they belong exclusively to "the righteous man." The ungodly and the hypocrite have no part in them. Seek then to attain the character of the righteous: seek it by faith in the Lord Jesus; "by whose obedience you shall be made righteous," and by whose all-powerful grace you shall be renewed after the Divine image in righteousness and true holiness." Then shall all these blessings be yours. You shall be "a people near unto God:" yea, you shall "have power with God, and shall prevaili" in all your supplications: even for others you shall prevail to a great extent, but for yourselves you shall obtain all the blessings both of grace and glory.]

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CONVERSION OF A SINNER A GREAT BENEFIT.

Jam. v. 19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

IN the apostolic age, the power of working miracles was vouchsafed to many; and was much coveted, not only on account of the benefit which it enabled its possessor to impart, but on account of the honour which it brought to him that exercised it. That power has long since been withdrawn, it being no longer necessary for the support and credit of the Christian cause. Nor need we regret its discontinuance; since there is yet communicated to every true Christian a power of infinitely greater value; namely, a power to instruct and save the souls of men. We cannot any longer by the prayer of faith. save the sick, and raise him up from the bed of sickness, and remove the judgments that have been inflicted on him on account of his sins: but by instructing a sinner, and turning him from the error of his sins, we can now, no less than in the apostolic age, save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. The miraculous power was in the hands of

a ver. 14, 15.

few, even of "the elders of the Church;" but this spiritual power, as my text intimates, is common to all, and is to be exercised by all.

From hence we see,

I. Our duty towards our erring brethren

There are still, as formerly, many, who, whilst they are called Christians, do materially "err from the truth"

[No one can read this epistle without seeing that very awful errors obtained in the Church, both in relation to faith and practice: and no one can know any thing of the Christian world, and not know, that Christianity amongst them is little more than a name. The very way of salvation, simple as it is, is very little understood. There is scarcely any one who is not expecting to be saved in whole, or in part, by some works of his own. The generality imagine that their repentance and reformation are to recommend them to God: and even those who acknowledge their obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ for what he has done and suffered for them, yet hope to obtain an interest in Him by their good works, or acceptance on account of their works through him. The simple life of faith is but little known: and frequently but little experienced, even where in terms the necessity of it is acknowledged.

The same may be said of men's practice also. Look at the life and conduct of the whole Christian world, and say, what resemblance you see in it to the life of Christ. Christians are said to be "epistles of Christ, known and read of all men." But what more would you learn of the mind and will of Christ, from what you see in the Christian world, than from what you might find in the better sort of heathens? In the Lord Jesus Christ there was an entire superiority to the world: but in his professed followers you see an entire subjection to it. In the Lord Jesus Christ you find that "it was his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father:" but in his professed followers you will see no such effort, no such determination to serve and honour God. Let all of you, who are here present, look at their own principles, and their own practice, and see whether they are founded altogether upon God's revealed will, and altogether conformed to the pattern set before them in the Scriptures. The more candidly these matters be inquired into, the more clearly will you see, that the great mass of nominal Christians are "erring from the truth," and need to "be converted from the error of their ways."]

Towards these our duty is to use all possible means for their conversion

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