the essential means in all ages of saving the immortal soul.
Again ; Because the saints are encouraged to " confess their faults one to another," with a view to the augmenting of their mutual sympathy, and the directing of them in their mutual intercessions b, these deceivers have required the laity to confess their sins to the clergy, in order to their obtaining the forgiveness of them at the hands of God : whereas, according to St. James, there is no such deference due to any particular order of men ; but the confes- sion is 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 pray0," we must not confine our attention to prayer as offered for others, but must notice it also as offered for our- selves. We say then, that when " a righteous 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 infirmities" in prayer d, and to " make intercession for use"), 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 specimen, 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
b ver. 16. c ver. 13. d Rom. viii. 20. e Rom. viii. 27.