These views are particularly enlarged, and rendered more distinct, by means of our confessions, and petitions. When we confess our sins before God; we are compelled to such a sincerity of thought, as well as of speech, as must induce us to throw aside a multitude of prejudices, self-justifications, and self-flatteries; usually, and very pleasingly, cherished. We know, that we cannot deceive God; and are certain, that even our inmost thoughts are naked to the All-seeing eye. Little inducement is presented to us, therefore, to think falsely of our conduct. So far as our views extend, they naturally become just, and scriptural. In this state, every sin, which we confess, is apt to be seen as it is; as a sin; as a violation of the Law of God; as an act of opposition to his Will; and as a source to us of guilt and condemnation. The vanity strong. ly appears of attempting to hide our guilt from his sight; and of course, the necessity, as well as the duty, of acknowledging it before him. Hence, while the confession of all our sins is forcibly prompted, the confession of each is naturally rendered sincere. Hence, also, the sinner sees many things to be sinful, which he has asually thought innocent; perhaps virtuous; and the whole number of his sins to be far greater, than he has before mistrusted.

In our Petitions, we ask for the blessing of God. If we ask for forgiveness, we ask for the forgiveness of our sins; and of course discern, that we have sins to be forgiven. This forgiveness is necessary for every sin. While the eye of the mind is employed in wandering with solemn anxiety over this interesting subject, and inquiring with deep solicitude what, and how numerous, are the cases, in which this forgiveness is needed; it is impossible for us not to perceive, that we have many, very many, sins to be forgiven.

If we ask for sanctification; we ask it for sinners, to whom this blessing is necessary. In the same character, we ask for jus tification, for adoption, for increase of grace, and for perseverance unto the end. In a word, our guilty character will recur, and present itself before our eyes, with every petition which we make.

Nor will the necessity, and excellence, of holiness appear with less evidence. Sin is our ruin: holiness is our recovery. Both are alike important: the one being as dreadful, as the other is desirable. Of all the blessings, for which we ask, holiness is the basis, the means, and the end. To every one of them it insepa rably adheres: with every one it is intimately blended. Our views, therefore, will be as naturally, and as extensively, engaged by it; and be as naturally rendered clear, and impressive.

As these two great attributes are the only ones, which character. ize our moral conduct; so the clearer and brighter our views of these things are, the more enlightened, of course, is our Conscience, or the judgment of our minds concerning that conduct. When we ask God for his blessing on any thing, which we are about to do, we shall in this way discern with more certainty its

real nature; especially as it appears to our own view; than in any other situation. We often, as we think, convince ourselves by reasoning, that a proposed pursuit is lawful and right; when we in fact believe it to be otherwise. In most, if not all, such cases, the first judgment of our minds, that which we usually denominate the decision of Conscience, has already determined it to be wrong. On the future reasoning, inclination has, usually, had no small share of influence; and has warped the judgment of the mind so, as to lead it to false conclusions. With these conclusions, however, we are but too prone to feel satisfied.

But, if we attempt to ask the blessing of God upon such conduct in our closets, we shall often find our attempts to be vain. Our mouths will be stopped, and our efforts to pray annihilated. Some persons declare, and appear to believe, that Gaming is lawful and justifiable. But no one ever asked, no one can ever seriously ask, the blessing of God on a design to game. There are persons, who declare Lewdness to be lawful. But no person can ask God to bless a lewd purpose. An attempt of this nature would choak the utterance even of a profligate.

When we ask the same blessing on similar conduct, already past; the same consequences-will follow; and we shall be forced, in spite of ourselves, to acknowledge, and feel, the guilt of that, which is sinful. Notwithstanding his utmost efforts, the sinner will be checked in all his attempts to pray, so long as he justifies, so long as he does not confess, and lament, his guilty conduct; however satisfied with himself he was in the perpetration. Until he becomes willing to forsake his sins, they will hinder his prayers. Nor can he continue to sin, and continue to pray.

This doctrine St. Peter teaches in the third chapter of his first Epistle. In the 7th verse, he directs husbands to live with their wives, as in the preceding verses he had directed wives to live with their husbands, in the performance of all the duties of conjugal affection, and in a general obedience to the precepts of the Gospel. For these directions, he subjoins his reason in the following words: that your prayers be not hindered. According to this decision of the Apostle, disobedience to the Gospel, and the neglect of the duties required by it, hinder, of course, the prayers of mankind. In other words, Sin is the direct hindrance of prayer. Every person, who prays to God, will continually find, by his own experience, that this account of the subject is true; and that, whenever he sins, his prayers are hindered. Of course, he will be obliged to relinquish his sins, or desist from his prayers. Should he continue to pray, all the views, which I have mentioned, and all others like them, will continually recur; and will soon become habitual. They will soon constitute the general current of his thinking on moral subjects. But the more clear, distinct, and habitual our thoughts concerning moral subjects become, the more strongly, and the more uniformly, shall we feel these subjects. Their

importance will not only be seen, but regarded with much solemnity, deep interest, and influential concern. The soul, continuing in prayer without ceasing, becomes alive to all such subjects. These are the chief subjects of its prayers; and prayer is its chief duty. Moral subjects, therefore, resume their proper place, and rank, in its estimation; and find a susceptibility in its regard, wholly due to them, and immensely interesting to itself. In this way, prayer contributes, to a degree which cannot be limited, to withdraw the soul from sin; to disarm temptations of their fascinating influence; to weaken the power of passion; and to increase the hopes, and means, of resistance. In the same manner, are the views, and emotions, which regard holiness, improved; and resolution, and strength, gained, to make progress in the Divine life.

Thirdly. Prayer is useful to unregenerated individuals, by teaching them, that, so long as they continue in this state, they cannot pray in the manner required by God.

Unregenerate men, when affected with a deep sense of their guilt, and a solemn concern for their future destiny, universally pray. But all such men, before they have made attempts of this nature, believe, whatever may be their creed, that they can pray with their present disposition, so as at least to satisfy themselves; and, not improbably, so as to be acceptable to God. There is no way, within my knowledge, in which they so effectually unlearn this doctrine, and so entirely give up this belief, as by their own attempts at prayer. The peculiarly clear, distinct, and affecting views of moral subjects, which I have already mentioned, are of course directed to their prayers, as well, as much, and probably more, than to any other subjects of this nature. Their prayers, in the act of offering them up to God, are seen by them in a light, and with a distinctness and certainty, never, perhaps, experienced in any other case. Amid the anxiety and earnestness, with which awakened sinners pray, they come, without an exception, first to doubt their own ability to pray as they ought; and then, without a doubt, to believe, that their prayers are wholly destitute of evangelical worth: at least, I never knew an exception to this process in any person, who, in this situation, has disclosed his views of the subject to me. Perhaps I ought rather to say, I remember none. This important part of self-knowledge is, I believe, rarely, if at all, acquired in any other way. In this situation, and by these means, sinners, if I mistake not, are chiefly brought to a state of absolute humiliation, and a full conviction of their entire dependence on Christ for holiness and Salvation. Not to be able to pray, so as to be in some degree satisfied, and comforted, by our prayers, is to be poor indeed. This humbled, dependent state of the mind is, as I formerly observed, that, in which the Grace of the Gospel is usually bestowed on men.

Fourthly. Prayer is useful to Individuals, as it teaches them their Dependence on God.

The act of asking for blessings in Prayer, which is its primary employment, brings up forcibly to our view the impossibility of furnishing them to ourselves. The blessings also, for which we ask, are seen to be absolutely necessary for us, and such as none but God can give. They are the result of Infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, alone. Of these Interesting truths, the suppliant cannot fail to perceive the clearest evidence, and to experience the strongest impression.

To this sense of dependence on God, our Adoration, in which we recite his glorious perfections in the most solemn manner; our Confession, in which we recount our sins and wants, our infinite need of forgiveness, and our utter insufficiency to supply ourselves with the necessary good; and our Thanksgiving, in which we ac knowledge, that all the blessings, enjoyed by us, have come from God only; irresistibly conspire to make large additions. As the God, whose immensely great and glorious Character we humbly and solemnly repeat, is presented to our view as rich in all good; we feel ourselves to be poor, and little, and sinful, and naked, and in want of all things.

Alone, withdrawn from the world, in the immediate presence of JEHOVAH, we cannot but see these things in the strongest light, and by themselves. The eye of the mind is turned solely, and intensely, upon them, and prevented from the obscurity, confusion, and consequent perplexity, which necessarily attend all complicated views. With such apprehensions, we can scarcely fail to feel, in the deepest manner, this most important subject. It becomes the burden of our thoughts, and our language. The value of the blessings themselves, our indebtedness to God for them, our own unworthiness of them all, and the mercy, manifested in bestowing them, unitedly impress them on our hearts with a force peculiar and pre-eminent.

As the pardon of our sins, and the justification, adoption, and sanctification, of our souls, constitute the means of all other good so they are seen, felt, and acknowledged, even by the convinced sinner, to be his own, highest, and immediate good. For this good, he will cry with intense earnestness to Him, in whom alone he finds either ability, or disposition, to communicate this invaluable blessing. With deep humiliation, with intense anguish, he casts himself at the foot of the cross, with the prayer of the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner; or with that of the disciples, when the ship, in which they were conveyed, was ready to sink; Lord, save me, or I perish! In this situation of the soul, desponding, convinced of its guilt and danger, and feeling the infinite necessity of forgiveness and renovation, God, in all his ordinary Providence, has been graciously pleased to extend mercy to sinners, and to bring them into his Kingdom. This is not

done because of any excellency in their prayers, or in their characters; for no such excellency exists; but because they infinitely need his mercy; and also, if I am not deceived, because there is an evident propriety in bestowing it on them, when in this situation, rather than while they are stupid, blind, and hardened in their sins.

The Christian, in the same manner, learns with still more clearness, and stronger affections, his own absolute dependence on his Maker. All his springs of holiness, and happiness, he perceives to be in God. Innumerable sins he discovers lying at his door; many and various lusts remaining in his heart; wants of many kinds, and of great importance, rising up continually to his view; his guilt dreadfully great, and his danger extreme. No being, but God, can remove the evils, from which he suffers, or those which he dreads. None, but God, can supply the blessings, which he feels to be his all.

In the whole of the Christian course, he realizes, in the most affecting manner, his absolute necessity of being enabled by the grace of God to resist temptations, to overcome lust, to vanquish enemies, to subdue sin, and to advance in obedience. Every evil affection he sees capable of being removed, or lessened, by the assistance of God only: and by the same assistance he must be furnished with all his ability to livé a holy life, and to cultivate every virtuous propensity. From God only, he also knows, must be derived his daily hope, support, and consolation; peace of mind, evidence of the love of God, increase in grace, and a patient continuance in well-doing. God only can cleanse his soul, refine and exalt his views, remove his fears, quicken his affections, brighten his hopes, and multiply his joys. All these are blessings, possessed by none beside the Infinite Mind; and gifts of none but the Almighty Hand. At the same time, they are blessings, which God is supremely pleased to bestow. His nature is bounty; and giving is his favourite employment.

But he is pleased to be inquired of for all blessings. Ready as he is to bestow, it is his pleasure, that all his rational creatures should ask. Accordingly he requires all flesh to come to him with their requests; and, for their encouragement, styles himself a God hearing prayer. With these delightful views of the Divine Character, and with affecting apprehensions of his own circumstances, every Christian comes to God; and finds in prayer peculiar en couragement, hope, assistance, strength, enjoyment, and universal edification.

Fifthly. Prayer is useful to Individuals, as it furnishes to them the best views of the Divine Character.

Prayer brings home to the mind the Character of God with peculiar advantage in many ways. Some of these have been already mentioned; as being inseparably connected with the subjects, which I have had occasion to consider. Several others I shall