"ject to like paffions as we are." He was a good man, yet subject to fins and infirmities like others. Wherefore by righteous man here must be understood, one who is evangelically righteous, one who is renewed by the power of divine grace, united to Chrift by faith, cloathed by his righteousness, and entered into the way of fanctification. The person who is thus righteous in a Gospel view of this term, tho' far from perfection, his prayers offered by faith thro' the mediation of Chrift, will furely find acceptance. Abel received the divine testimony in favour of his offerings and prayers, while his brother was rejected, and his prefents of gratitude and praise from an infidel heart. Allow me to make this remark, that Cain believed not in a facrifice for his fin. Hence his offering was an imaginary gratitude to God, without any fenfe of his finfulness and unworthiness. And the reception of his brother's offering, which was of the facrifical and bloody na ture, which exhibited his belief of the atoning blood of a mediator, filled his whole foul with indignation and purposes of revenge. The spirit of Abel is in all believers, and the fpirit of Cain would still murder all the friends of God. "By faith "Abel offered unto God, a more excellent facrifice than Cain "by which he obtained witnefs that he was righteous, God "teftifying his gifts." If we would expect our prayers to be heard, let us fee to it, that we be righteous perfons. None other will prevail or find acceptance with God.

A queftion here arifes whether God hath made any promi fes to the prayers of the unregenerate? This is impoffible in the very nature of things. If threatenings may be confidered as promises, the whole bible is filled with these against all who entertain evil in their heart. For God to grant good to thofe, the ebullitions and feelings of whofe hearts are perfectly at enmity against him, common fenfe and all nature rife against the fuppofition. And the wicked themfelves poff-fs the convic

tions of their own confciences, however ftupid and fecured they may be, that they cannot be heard. They know amidst all the pains and anguifh of their bodies, whatever their wishes and tormenting anxiety may be for relief, the defires of their hearts are not raised to God, in love, faith or a dependence on him in the forms of his appointment, through Jefus Chrift. The old and new teftament declare, “God will not take fin"ners by the hand; he will not hear finners. Those who "regard iniquity in their hearts, the Lord will not hear. God will not hear the cry of the hypocrite when trouble cometh upon him. The Lord is far from the wicked, but heareth "the prayer of the righteous."

Thirdly, we proceed to lead your confideration of the effects of addreffes made to heaven, they avail mush.

Effectual fervent prayer is powerful and prevaileth with God. The foul in this praying frame, is brought to that ftate, on which God will furely beftow his bleffings. Hence prayer properly offered will never fail of a proper effect. Before God grants his favors, it is his ufual method, to bring his people into a fenfible, fervent, and praying condition, and to open wide their mouths, that in this way they may be prepared for the reception of the defired fupplies. Prayer, fays one, is the key, by which the righteous open and lock heaven. at pleafure. This is beautifully exemplified in the character of Elijah in our context. He prayed and it rained not, he prayed again and the rains defcended. Aftonishing is the power attributed to prayer in the holy fcriptures. God condefcends to fpeak as if his hands were confined hereby. In the cafe of the angel wrestling with Jacob, He faid, "Let me "go for the day breaketh." Jacob replied, "I will not let thee And thus he had ftrength and "go, except thou blefs me. power with God and prevailed." The efficacy of the prayer

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of Mofes is very remarkable. God intreats him to let him alone by folemn and great promises. Thus faith the Lord, "Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against "them, and that I may confume them, and I will make of "thee a great nation." The expreffion by which God enjoins. it upon his people in the prophet Ifaiah is very strong, when he fays, "Command ye me." Such phrafes, while they encourage, must be admired with a holy reverence, and not ftrained too far, left the fpirit of prayer degenerate into ungodly rudeness. These things are wonders of condefcenfion on the part of the Most High, and point to us, how highly he honors the duty of prayer. Its importance, prevalency and efficacy would be eafy to expatiate upon.

But these general meditations upon prayer will be closed as prefent with a few words of exhortation.

Whatever we

We here fee the great influence of this duty when rightly performed, and how highly it is refpected by God himself. This therefore should be a fufficient motive to engage us in the diligent practice of it. It becomes fuch guilty, empty, and neceffitous creatures as we are, to bow with all humility, and yet with holy confidence before God, as knowing that he is both able and willing to fatisfy all our just desires, and to caufe his grace to abound toward his people. want let us afk it of him in faith, and we shall not be denied. We may always be importunate, when we are fure the things we with are agreeable to his will. There is no want, no poffible want or defire of a right kind can arise in our breasts or is felt there, to which there is not a promised supply, if the petition be believingly prefented. "Godliness has the "promife of the life that now is and of that which is to come." Whatever our neceffities are, let us with fervent, fenfible addreffes make them known to God. What is your petition,

and what is your request, and they fhall not be rejected. Is it temporal bleffings that you want, feek the Lord and fear be fore him, "He will blefs your basket and your store. He "will open unto thee his good treasure; the heaven to give "the rain unto thy land in his feason, and to bless all the "work of thy hand. The mercy of the Lord is from ever

lafting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his ❝righteousness unto children's children. Wealth and riches "fhall be in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever."

Is it fpiritual bleffings that we need? God knows of these we are extremely destitute. And what is ftill worse, we are not duly fenfible of our lamentable condition; neither are fervently petitioning the throne of grace for ourselves, our families, our children, or others. How many among us are living under the load of all their guilt, and abfolutely infenfible that they carry a weight fufficient to fink them to utter destruction. Let all fuch after fo long a time hear the word of the Lord, lay your fins to heart, and repent and pray that your fins may be forgiven you. "Awake thou that fleepeth and arise from "the dead, and Chrift fhall give you light. Call upon me "faith the Lord, and I will anfwer and fhew thee great and "mighty things which thou knoweft not."

How many doubting christians are there among us, fufpended between hopes and fears with regard to their immortal interest. Let all fuch be more diligent, faithful and fervent in prayer, and if you are the children of grace, you shall surely be comforted, "Ye fhall feek me and find me, faith the Lord, "when you search for me with all your heart. Call upon me "in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you, and thou fhalt "glorify me."

Finally, all who have any regard for the profperity of Zion,

who defire a revival of practical and experimental religion in this day of fmall things, let them be exhorted to be earnest and abundent in prayer to God, with whom the refidue of the fpirit is. Be affured if ever there be a revival of vital piety, it will be ushered in by an outpouring of a spirit of prayer and fupplication. "Therefore, for Zion's fake, let us not hold our "peace, and for Jerufalem's fake, let us not reft, until the "righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the falvation "thereof as a lamp that burneth." And may our hearts ever be directed into the love of God and the patient waiting of Chrift Jefus.