a confession of their misery, and an earnest prayer for mercy. What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?* Nay, he sometimes appeared even to disregard their cries, till by repeated and importunate entreaties they seemed to have extorted the blessing from him. Thus while our heavenly Father knoweth of what things we have need, he yet commands us by prayer and supplication to make our requests known unto him. Even with respect to those gifts which he purposes to confer on us, he appoints the exercise of prayer as a necessary step towards receiving them. Nor can we sufficiently admire the wisdom and excellence of such an appointment. It consults at once the honour of God and the infirmity of man. It leaves to God the whole glory of supplying our necessities; and it constitutes a test of our humility, of our faith, and of our obedience. Prayer, when properly offered, expresses our conviction of our weakness and wants, and our reliance on the divine mercy and truth when answered, it exalts the perfections of God, augments our confidence in them, and increases our motives to gratitude: while the reasonableness of the duty prescribed leaves without excuse those persons who refuse or omit to comply with it, detects

* Luke, xviii. 41. John, v. 6.

the pride and hypocrisy of their hearts, and exposes them to the merited consequences of their folly and sin.

But while the necessity of prayer is thus clearly pointed out and established, the success and efficacy of it are no less plainly implied in the text, and confirmed by the general testimony of Scripture. Christ intimates to the woman, that had she applied to him, her application would not have been in vain: he would have given her living water. Hearken to his own express declarations to this effect on other occasions. God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full*. Innumerable passages concur in speaking the same truth. What says Solomon? If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searcheth for her as for hid treasure; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,

* Luke, xi. 13. Matt. vii. 7, 8. John, xvi. 23, 24.

H

and find the knowledge of God: for the Lord giveth wisdom*. What says St. James? If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him! What saith the Lord by his prophet Isaiah? It shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer, and whilst they are yet speaking I will heart. The whole history of the Bible is an exemplification of the same truth. The instances of Jacob, of Lot, of Hannah, of Elijah, of Daniel, of Hezekiah, of Jonah, are so many illustrations of the subject before us; so many unequivocal proofs of the prevalence and efficacy of prayer.

IV. We may observe from the words under consideration, that one very general cause of neglecting to pray for the blessing of the Spirit, is ignorance respecting it. Men know neither the nature and value of the Gift; nor their own need of it; nor the manner of obtaining it; nor Christ's power and willingness to impart it: therefore they make no inquiries after it. Observe the language of our Lord in the text. If thou knewest the Gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest ask.

This woman was now conversing with the

* Prov. ii. 3, 4, 5, 6.

↑ James, i. 5. Isaiah, lxv. 24.

Saviour of the world, who alone was enabled to bestow on her all spiritual blessings. It was the most momentous and critical hour of her life. She now possessed such an opportunity as she never had possessed before, and might never possess again. But she was on the point of losing all these advantages. Instead of throwing herself at the feet of Christ, and of imploring him to sanctify and save her guilty soul, she was treating him with indifference, and almost with contempt. She had a pearl of great price within her reach; yet she stretched not out her hand to take it For she was ignorant of its value. She knew not Christ and the Gift of God. She was a stranger to the dignity of the person with whom she was discoursing; to the excellence of the Gift which he was ready to bestow on her ; to her own character, situation, and wants.

But was such ignorance peculiar to this woman? Look round into the world, and see if it be not common to thousands. Look into your own hearts, my brethren, and see if it belong not to yourselves. You indeed have not Christ personally present with you. But he is ever present by his Spirit, by his word, and by his ministers. Behold, he cries, I stand at the door and knock*. His promises,

* Rev. iii, 20.

But

his offers, his invitations, are still addressed to you. He is still ready to bestow on you the Gift of God: to give to you living water; to shed abroad the Holy Ghost into your hearts. Yet how many of you hear these glorious tidings without emotion! You value them not. You are intent on your several pursuits of business or of pleasure; eager to add field to field, and to join house to house; or saying to your soul, Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.. You attend the public ordinances of Christ. You call yourselves his disciples. You render to him a formal service. you never heartily pray to him for the blessing of the Spirit, that first, best Gift, which he has purchased for you, and freely offers to you.. You walk over the field regardless of the inestimable treasure, which lies hid beneath its surface. From what cause does this conduct spring? From your ignorance of Christ, of the Gift of God, of your own character, situàtion, and wants. If you knew these things you would ask. If you knew that you were wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, you would pray to Christ for gold tried in the fire that you might be rich; for white raiment, that you might be clothed; for eye-salve that you might see. And whence does this ignorance arise; from want of opportunity, of instruction, of capacity? No: