Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-01-21
N U Nj B E R II.

D. oo"io nave supposed that Paul pray
ed in faith for the removal of the thorn in
the flesh, and that it was not granted
But they cannot prove that Paul praaed
IN faith. The presumption is all on the
other side, asI have shown in a former
lecture. He had neither promise, nor
prophecy, nor providence, nor the Spirit
of God, to lead him to believe The whole
objection goes on the ground that the
apostle might pray in faith without being
led by the Spirit. This is truly short
hand method of disposing of the Spirits
influences in prayer. Certainly, to as
sumo that he prayed in faith, is to assume
either that he prayed in faith without be-
ing led by the Spirit, or that the Spirit of
God led him to pray for that which was
not according to the will Of God.
| have dwelt the more on this subject,
because want to have it made so plain.
that you will all be careful not to grieve
; the Spirit. | want you to have high ideas
ofthe Holy Ghost, and to feel that nothing
good will be done without his influences
. No praying or preaching will be of any
avail without him If Jesus Christ were
to come down here and preach to sinners,
not one would be converted without the
Spirit. Be careful then not to grieve him
, away by sighting or neglecting his heav-
emily influences when he invites you to
pray.
A. In praying for an object, it is neces-
sary to persevere till you obtain it. 0,
with what eagerness Christians some
! times pursue sinner in their prayers,
when the Spirit Of God has fixed their de-
slres on him! No miser pursues his
gold with so fixed determination.
5. The fear Of being led by impulses
has done great injury, by not being duly
considered. A PERSONS mind may be led
! by an agnis fatvus But we do wrong, if
we let the fear of impulses lead US to resist
the good impulses of the Holy Ghost
No wonder Christians don't have the spir-
it Of prayer, lGthey are unwilling to take
the trouble to Distinguish; and so re ect or
resist all impulses, and all leadings of in
visible agents. A great deal has been
said about fanaicism, that is verv unguard-
ed, and that causes many minds to reject
the headings of the Spirit of God. LAS
many as are the sons of God, are led by
the Spirit Of Cod And it is our duty to
TRY the spirits, whether they be of Cod"
We should insist on a close scrutiny, and
an accurate discrimination. There mast
be such thing as being led by the Spirit
And when we are convinced 1t is of God,
we should be sure to follow-folIow on,
with full confidence that he will not lead
US wrong.
6. We see from this subject the absurd
ity of using forms of prayer. The very
idea of using form, rejects, of coarse,
the leadings of the Spirit. Nothing is
more calculated TO destroy the spirit Of
prayer, and entirely to darken and con-
fuse the mind, as to what constitutes pray
er, than to use forms. Forms of prayer
are not only absurd in themselves but
they are the very device ofthe devil to des-
troy the spirit and break the power Of
prayer. 1t is of no use to say the form is
a good one. Prayer does not consist In
words. And it matters not what the words
are, if the heart is not led bv the Spirit of
God lfthe desire is not enkindled, the
thoughts directed, and the whole current
of feeling produced, ard led by the Spirit
Of God it is not PRAYER. And set forms
are, of al! things, best calculated to keep
an individual from praying as he ought.
I. The subject furnishes test Of char
acter.-The Spirit maketh intercesSion-
for whom! For the saints. Those who
are saints are thus exercised If you are
saints, you know by experience what it is
to be thus exercised, or it is because YOU
have grieved the Spirit of God, so that he
will not lead you. You live in such a
manner, that this Holy Comforter will not
dwell with you, nor give you the spirit Of
prayer. If this is 50, you must repent
Whether you are Christian or not don't
stop to settle that, but repent, as fyou
Don't take it for granted that you are
Christian, but go like a humble sinner,
and pour out your heart unto the Lord
You never can have the Spirit of prayer
in any other way.
8. The importance Of understanding
this subject
~ In order TO be useful. Without
this spirit there can be no such sympathy
between you and God, that you can Ell
Their walk with God or work with Cod
You need to have strong beating of your
heart with his, or you need not expectto
be greatly useful.
(2) AS important as your sanctitlca-
ton. Without such spirit you vii not
be sanctifed, you will not understand the
Bible, you will not know how to apply it
to your case. Iwant you to feel the i'm
portance of having God with you all the
time. If YOU live as you ought he says
he will come unto you, and make his
abode with you, and sup with you, and
you with him.
9. Epeople know not the spirit of pray
er, they are very apt to be unbelieving in
/ l. l. mi