The Precious Things of God

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1867. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF PRAYER. " Golden vials, full of odours, which are the prayers of saints."--Rev. V. 8. If there be an argument which establishes beyond all dispute the doctrine of the fall, and the necessity of a restored and regenerated nature, it is the fact, that from it nothing that is holy, spiritual, or good emanates. The moral soil is so utterly degenerate, that even the flowers which adorn it --the natural virtues still clinging to our humanity--are, in the sight of a holy God, but as noxious weeds, destined finally and utterly to perish. Such was the complete wreck, such the entire paralysis of our nature. " In my flesh," says the apostle, " dwelleth no good thing." If, then, in the midst of this utter and universal corruption, there should be found springing any bud, or blossom, or fruit of real holiness--anything a dreargraci0USj spiritual, heavenly--it must bo the product of a divine principle, of a new nature implanted within us by God the Holy Ghost. A striking proof and illustration of this is presei.ted in the subject of this chapter. There exists not a more undoubted evidence of a renewed nature than --Prayer. The absence of it is the unmistakeable evidence of--death ; its existence a palpable and positive evidence of--life. Prayer is the most vital, spiritual, and pure emanation of the indwelling of the Spirit in the soul. If, in a case of suspended animation, we marked the slightest symptom of life--the gentlest heaving of the heart--the faintest moisture breathed upon the surface of a mirror--we should certainly hail it as proof of the existence of the vital principle. We should not ask for strong spasmodic action, and postpone all efforts to rouse the dormant pulse, before we pronounced the individual alive. We should be satisfied that the spark st...