ery promise of his word. He rewards every good work. He shews mercy to thousands that never could deserve it. He does injustice to none.

But are there no promises in the word of God, that if men do what they can, God will do for them what they cannot? Where are such promises to be found? "Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." This some will say, is a promise of the Holy Spirit to them that ask him the best way they can, before they partake of his grace; for if they had alrea dy received the grace of the Spirit, why should they ask him? But is it not said, "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven of the wind and tossed; for let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord ?”

The Lord may hear prayers that are not presented to him in faith, for his mercy is dispensed by him according to his own will. He heard the prayer of Jehoahaz, for relief to Israel, although Jehoahaz never was a sound believer, for he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam. But he was not under any obligation to hear his prayers, nor had he any reason, from any promises in the Bible, to hope that he would be heard. As God does for his people exceeding abundantly above what they ask or

think, so he often does for sinners what they had no reason to expect; for he is abundant in goodness and truth. He often gives what he hath not promised. He never gives less. He is not bound to accomplish the promises that we make to ourselves by our vain comments upon his words; but not aught shall fail of any good thing that he has given us reason from his word to expect.

He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." This is a powerful encouragement to seek the Spirit in his blessed influences, although we do not feel his influence. We may say still more. It is an encouragement to those who are entirely destitute of the sanctifying influence of the Spirit, to ask him. But how? To ask him in faith. We have certainly no encouragement in the Bible to ask, or to expect any thing without faith. Unbelievers cannot pray in faith, till the Spirit is given them to work faith in their hearts. But he giveth more grace to whom he hath already given grace, for "to him that hathi shall be given." And those who have no grace are invited to ask what they want. God may be pleased to give that grace which they seek, when, in obedience to his word, they endeavor to seek it. If grace were bestowed upon none but those who have some claim to it, it would be bestowed upon none, or rather, it would not be grace.

We are not to infer from any thing which has been said, that it is absolutely in vain for persons in a natural state to attempt any act of religion, and that it is no worse for them to live according to the bent of their corrupt affections without control, than to live soberly; or, that they may as well resign themselves to utter inactivity in every thing that belongs to religion, as strive to enter in at the strait gate, since so many strive to enter in and are not able. The following observations may con vince us that the devil is the prompter of such pernicious counsels.

1. Such a conclusion is directly contrary to the advice of our Lord Jesus Christ."Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able." The reason why our corrupt minds tell us it is useless to strive, is the reason why we should strive to enter in. Will you comply with the advice of your great enemy, or your best friend? You cannot have a better friend than Christ. You cannot have a worse enemy than him who persuades you to reject the counsel of Christ.

2. Although duties performed with moral seriousness by unregenerate persons are not acceptable to God, yet they are not so bad as the omission of them. If our very prayers, say some, are sinful, it is better not to pray. It is indeed better not to pray, than to pray like the ancient Pharisees, merely to be seen

of men, and to obtain a false reputation for piety, to be used for malignant purposes. But when motives of conscience, and a senseof our dependence upon God, induce us to pray, although we cannot pray in faith, we are not behaving in such a sinful manner as those who utterly neglect prayer. There is, in some respects, a like difference between morally serious persons and profane persons, as between Judas and Peter when the one denied the Lord through weakness, and the other betrayed him through wilful wickedness. Sins differ greatly from one another in their nature and aggravations; and, if you say that it is as good for a man to do nothing at all in religion, as to do nothing in an acceptable manner, you err as widely as the ancient Stoics, who alleged that all sins were equal.

You have read the history of Amaziah, king of Judah, who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, "But not like David his father," as one of the inspired writers says; or, "not with a perfect heart," as another of them expresses it. He was blessed with prosperity by God, while he practised the duties of religion, though not with a perfect heart. He was severely reproved, threatened and punished by God, when he cast off the profession of the true religion. Why so? He was no worse than before, if profligates are not worse than formalists. The sin of the former consists in the utter contempt of

God; the latter entertain some reverence for him, though they are destitute of that holy fear which is tempered and sweetened with love. The former regard God so little, that they will not so much as pay an external obedience to his commands; the latter durst not for their lives and souls treat God's commandments with such profane neglect, although they cannot serve him with that confluence and love which he requires. The wilful wickedness of the one is certainly more criminal than the weakness of the other.

3. Diligent use of the means of grace usu ally produces good effects, even when they are not attended with saving grace. There are common as well as saving influences of the Spirit. The former, though they do not necessarily accompany salvation, are of great advantage to the world and to the church.

When persons are accustomed to the reading and hearing of God's word, although they are not sanctified, they are preserved from many evils into which others fall. They escape, as the apostle Peter says, the corrup... tion that is in the world through lust. If they fall away, their last state is indeed worse than their first. But they do not always fall away; and till they do, they are preserved from many evils into which they might have fallen, evils hurtful to the body, to the soul, to the estate. And they are induced by powerful motives to do many things beneficial to society and to

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