992 66 you helping I thank my 1 and directed to the use of the same blessed privilege, by many express authorities of Scripture, and by the examples of those Holy men, who were led by the Spirit of God, and were the prophets of His will to their fellow creatures. "Brethren," saith St. Paul, "pray for us." "You also," he saith again, together with prayer for us. God, making mention of thee always in my prayers." "I command," we find again, "that prayer be made for all men, for kings and all that are in authority.”4 "Confess your faults," saith St. James, "and pray one for another."5 "If any man, man," saith St. John, "see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask of God, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death."6 By how many examples these commands are established, how perfectly the Holy Apostles practised the doctrine which they taught, how earnestly and how continually they recommended to God the souls of their brethren, and "bowed their knees," on behalf of the Church, "to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," the least attentive reader of their works will, in every page, discover. But why should I urge to you the example of men, when the example of God is greater? or wherefore was God made 1 Thess. 25. 2 2 Cor. i. 11. 4 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. 5 James, v. 16. 3 Phil. 4. man in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, if it were not to give us an example that we should follow His steps, who prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail; who prayed for His disciples, that the Father should send them the Comforter; —who, in the pangs of death, prayed for forgiveness to His murderers; and whose eternity is passed, at His Father's right hand, in interceding for His guilty creatures! Christianity, indeed, is no solitary concern to any of us. We must neither hope, nor grieve, nor rejoice, nor tremble, each man for himself, and without heeding what may befal his neighbour. We are more than neighbours ; — we are all one family, which, whether in Heaven, or in earth, whether among the saints who reign in glory, or among the saints who yet sojourn in the valley of temptations and tears, is named by one common name, united by one common interest, washed by one common baptism, purified by the same precious blood, and whose prayers should mount up together in the same sweet savour before our common Father and Lord! To the performance of outward works of charity, it is not every one who hath power or opportunity. We cannot all give alms; we cannot all preach the Gospel; we cannot all, by wisdom and eloquence, warn the sinner of the error of his ways; but our lips, our hearts, our faith, our love, may all be brought into the common stock of supplication; and the weakest of us all may pray for those whose wants he cannot relieve, and whose pride may scorn his reproof or counsel. Nor is it to others only that our prayers may thus be serviceable. Those, for whom we accustom ourselves to pray, we cannot help loving; and the more we pray for others, the more we shall be disposed to realise that character of BRETHREN, by which our Master's household should be known; and to give its full effect to that sublime invocation, in which all mankind are taught to address the Maker of all, “OUR FATHER, which art in Heaven!” But, though we should pray for all men, yet is it plainly our duty, as well as our privilege, to pray more particularly for the spiritual welfare of all those, who have any peculiar claims on our regard or pity, whose wants we know, or in whose happiness we are interested. Can we hope for salvation ourselves—and not, at the same time, be desirous, that our friends should share it with us? Can we love our children, our parents, our kindred,—and never so much as breathe a single devout wish in their favour to the Throne of Mercy? Can we really forgive our enemies, and not sometimes pray, that they may be delivered from the wrath to come, and be brought by grace to know how unjustly they have treated us? Or, if there can be one time, more proper than another, for the exercise of such a duty, can there be any moment so acceptable to God, as when we have just before offered up at His Table, all our worldly wants and wishes; and have become, spiritually, one with that Blessed Mediator in whose name only our petitions can be received, and in whose name whatsoever we ask, faithfully, shall, without a doubt, be given us? Let me then entreat you, my brethren, such as remain with me to celebrate the Sacrament of Christ's death (I would to God that more would remain !), let me entreat you, after having received it, to take an opportunity, either in your pews, or immediately after your return home, to recommend by name your principal friends, and your enemies, if such you have, to God, that He may have mercy on them and on you; and let me entreat all those who are as yet strangers to God's altar, to reflect, how great a privilege they lose by their absence, and to resolve, that, by His Grace, the next opportunity, which shall occur of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, shall find them neither unprepared nor unwilling to partake in their benefits. And that the ordinance which we are now to begin, and the prayers which we are now to offer, may be the means of blessing to ourselves and to the whole Church of Christ, may He grant, who is mighty to save: who, with the Son, and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth for ever! SERMON XLIX. SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. EZEKIEL, xiv. 3. These men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them? THIS was the answer of the Holy Ghost to the prophet Ezekiel, when certain of the elders, that is, of the nobles, and principal magistrates, of Israel had paid him a solemn visit to ask counsel of the Lord, concerning the dangers which threatened Jerusalem. The manner, in which the guidance and direction of the Most High were, in those days, sought after, was, that the person inquiring went to the Chief Priest, or to one of those prophets whom God raised up to instruct and govern His people; when, after proposing his question, accompanied with a prayer that God would be pleased to answer it, he sat on the ground, in an humble posture, and covered with sackcloth, in expectation of the reply, which, either by lots solemnly thrown, or by words put |