as much required from the Clergy to the Laity, as from the Laity to the Clergy.
We stop not however to notice these grievous errors, but pass on to that which more immediately concerns ourselves ; and to point out to you,
I. The import of the assertion before us —
The preceding context certainly leads our thoughts chiefly to the work of intercession : yet since it is also said, "Is any afflicted, let him pray%" we must not confine our attention to prayer as of- fered for others, but must notice it also as offered for ourselves. We say then, that when " a righ- teous man" draws nigh to God, and presents before him prayers inspired and dictated by the Holy Ghost, (whose peculiar office it is to ** help our in- firmities" in prayer ^ and to " make intercession for us %") he shall prevail ; 1. For others —
[Of this the instances are so numerous, that we can only give a short specimen of them : yet shall it be such a speci- men, as will abundantly confirm the truth before us.
We will begin with Moses, who, when God was exceed- ingly wroth with his people for making and worshipping the golden calf, set himself to pray and intercede for them. But God, feeling, if I may so say, how impossible it would be for him to resist the importunity of his servant, said, " Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them : and," if thou thinkest that my covenant with Abraham will be broken thereby, I assure thee it shall not; for " I will make of thee a great nation V But Moses would not "let him alone," but pleaded for them with all ima- ginable earnestness and importunity : and the consequence was, " the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people s."
My next instance shall be that of Joshua, who, desiring to prosecute the advantage which he had gained over the Amor- ites, and destroy them utterly, prayed that neither the sun nor moon might advance in their course, but continue to aid him with their light, till he had accomplished his desire. To ef- fect this, the whole universe must be arrested in its career ; and such a shock be given to it, as to endanger its utter dissolution.
But
•■ ver. 13. * Rom. viii,26. * ib. ver, 27.
' Exod. xxxii. 10. s jb. yer. 14.