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dead, and have passed into an eternal state, is lost breath, or rather egregious folly. It may indeed be questioned, whether the practice, to which we have just adverted, would not long ago have completely sunk into oblivion and contempt, had not priests been too deeply interested to give its tottering credit all imaginable support; and so long as there are rich people, willing to pay liberally for the masses and mummeries designed to emancipate their departed relatives from suffering and torment, purgatory pick-purse, as old Latimer calls it, will retain its place and its terrific power. "To all the living," says Solomon, there is hope; and for such let us continually intercede at the Divine Mercy-seat.

First Objection. May we not provoke and offend God by praying for others, if the object should happen to be contrary to his will? I reply, we have no reason to believe that intercession, either in particular instances, or on a large and general scale, is contrary to his will. God may not see fit to grant what we ask, and yet be well pleased with our supplications. The mourning prophet was forbidden to intercede for Israel on more occasions than one. "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble." (Jer. xi. 14.) We have never received such a charge. Nor, indeed,

can we understand this, as an absolute prohibition, without contradicting the general tenour of Scripture. We find something similar in other instances, as Exod. xxxii. 10; 1 Sam. xv. 35, and xvi. 1. But admitting that God might, in some remarkable instance, determine to answer no prayer for the prevention or removal of any temporal judgment; this could not be known unless expressly revealed, and even then would be no bar to the offering of prayer for the pardon of sin, and deliverance from eternal wrath. The very charge here referred to, was a part of the message the prophet had to deliver to the people, and well calculated, and probably also designed, to rouse their stupidity, to humble their pride, and lead them to penitence.

Second Objection. Must not intercessory prayer at any rate be left to follow the current of our feelings? No: duty must not, in any case, be made a pensioner on feeling. Whatever God commands, we are bound to obey. The grounds of obligation to pray for our Christian brethren, and for the great family of man, wherever dispersed, have beed laid before the reader; the advantages attendant upon this kind of devotion have been enumerated; and, I trust, every objection or cavil, which may be started, will appear light as the small dust of the balance.

CHAPTER IV.

ON OBSTACLES, DIFFICULTIES, AND HINDRANCES IN PRAYER.

SECTION I.

ON DEADNESS OF SPIRIT IN PRAYER.

WE are never safe, or prosperous, in any circumstances, never properly equipped for any undertaking, never fully armed for any conflict, without prayer. Abraham, when called to leave his native country, and sojourn among strangers, could not but discern the signs of suspicion and jealousy, and know perfectly, that snares and perils were around him. And what means of defence did he employ? In every place of his abode, he erected an altar, and called upon the name of the Lord; this was his entrenchment, the breast-work he raised, the bulwark he trusted; and when he

had committed himself to God, he was like a man in his strong impregnable castle. Jehoshaphat, though he commanded an immense army, went not into the field of battle, till he had earnestly sought success from the Lord of Hosts. 'O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee." 2 Chron. xx. 12.

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It is in the soul's approach to a throne of grace, that God manifests himself to us as he doth not to the world. He is nigh unto them who seek him; he proclaims his name, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth;" he unveils his glory, and shews his smiling face. Such bright manifestations scatter our clouds, fill our hearts with inward joy, and gild with a celestial radiance the dusky wilderness. While we pour out our souls to God, he pours down his benign influence upon us, and causes us to triumph in Christ, and go on our way with alacrity and pleasure. Thus spiritual prosperity is the effect of prayer. The throne of grace is our dispensary, where every healing medicine is prepared; our treasury and asylum, where all our riches and resources are found.

But numerous obstacles and difficulties oppose and discourage every good man, when he draws near to God.

"What various hindrances we meet,

In coming to a mercy-seat;

Yet who, that knows the worth of prayer,

But wishes to be often there?"

COWPER.

The malignant enemies of the Christian well know, if they can come in between him and his God, they block up his communication with heaven, and for a time at least cut off his supplies. The insidious policy of Satan is, either to debar him from the throne of grace, or disturb him in his access to it. But, what is most of all to be deplored, the corruptions of his own heart often interrupt or spoil his communion with God.

When we converse with godly people on the subject of prayer, there is nothing of which they so frequently and so bitterly complain, as heaviness and deadness of spirit. They do not, they dare not, they cannot, and will not, wholly omit the duty, but declare they feel no life and energy in it. As one whose health is impaired, and whose appetite is gone, still takes his seat at the family table, as a matter of form, and in compliance with the wish of relatives, but has no pleasure in the repast; they return to seek God at the hour of prayer, though they find no zest or relish in it-no refreshment from it. The

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