The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-06-03
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
The Divine Power of the Church.

Inc DIVINE PoWer OF the Cnureh.
III. The power of prayer, The prom
Use made to the Church, under one form
of it, is in these words, i will pour upon
the house of David and upon the inhabi-
tants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and
of supplications The people of God,
not knowing what they should pray for
as they ought, the Spirit helpeth their
infrmities. ''God hath sent forth into
their hearts the spirit of his Son, crying,
Abba, Father" 1t is their privilege to
''pray always with all prayer and suppl
cation, an the SPIRIT. ''By the SPIRIT
they have access to the Father" They
may not only pray in the Spirit, butpray
ing thus, they receive larger accessions
of the Spirit. Said Christ to his disciples,
if ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you" We may with
confidence and humble boldness ask for
the things he has promised to give. The
great blessing, the promised blessing
which includes all "good things" is the
Holy Spirit. The prayers of those who
pray in the Spirit and for the Spirit, are
frequent, .fervent, importunate, and efec
tual. In such prayer, there is pOaoer.-
We have notable examples even in the
Old Testament, in the wrestling of Jacob,
and in the prayers of Elijah. We have
more notable examples in the new dis
pensation, the dispensation of the Spirit.
While the apostles we're waiting for the
Holy Spirit, they continued with one
accord in prayer and supplcation. -
What glorious results have followed such
prayers?
And how does the example of the Son
of God, whose prayers as well as labors
were in behalf of his Church, put to
shame our dull, lifeless, unbeieving, spas.
modic, formal prayers. We are told that
on one occasion he continued all night in
prayer to God On another occasion he
arose up a great while before day, and
departed into solitary place and prayed.
Again, he withdrew into the wilderness
and prayed.
The Church has not get tested the poa0-
er that IS az this 10eapOn Of her 'caTare.
III. There is furnished for the Church,
in order that she may accomplish her
great work, what may be called the Poac-
er of action. There is no power in man
to do good work, faithful work, success
full work for God, unless he be endued
with power from on high, unless God
work in him to will and to do. We do
not feel as we ought the need and the i'm
portance of this divine power so as to
seek it with proper diligence. The little
work we do is done too much in our own
strength, and in dependence upon our own
resources. The power that makes work
ing pastors, working evangelists, working
church members, is from God. "Ye
shall receive (this) power after that the
Holy Ghost is come upon you" When
Jesus went into Galilee and taught in the
Synagogues, and wrought there his
mighty works, he went sin the power of
the Holy Spirit" By the Spirit did he
cast out Devils. By the Spirit was he
raised from the dead. "The Spirit said
to Philip, go join thyself to the chariot
of the Eunuch." The Spirit told Peter
to go with the three men sent from Cor
nelius. 1t was the Holy Ghost that said
to the Church, separate me Barnabas
and Saul, and ''they being sent forth by
the Holy Ghost departed into Selucia." "
Withoutadopting the etenets of the Society
of Friends, we must believe that they
which are in Christ Jesus '''0alk after
the SPIRIT" and ''mind the things Of the
Spirit," and are sled By the Spirit. -
We see the working of this Spirit in the
life and labors of the Apostle Paul We
see it in the zeal and earnestneSs of the
early Christians, and of the Reformers
in the 18th Century. And some of the
glorious results of such zeal and activity
are on record. o. for that mighty pow
er which shall peryade all our churches,
melting our ministers who are disposed to
rest satisfied with the regular outward
discharge of ministerial duty. and ami
mating the hearts of our church members
whose energies are now mainly devoted
to the pursuits of wealth, or honor, or
pleasure, or at least the comforts of this
life. Let US not turn aside from earnest
preaching, importunate praying and hard
working; and commit the fatal mistake
of trusting in empty ceremonies, gorgeous
architecture, musical entertainments, in
which the people attempt to praise God
by proxy, piOus theatres where money is