me
for." It must surely be that the ministry of intercession has never been
put before our students in Theological Halls and Missionary Training
Homes as the most important part of their life-work. We have thought of
our work in preaching or visiting as our real duty, and of prayer as a
subordinate means to do this work successfully. Would not the whole
position be changed if we regarded the ministry of intercession as the
chief thing--_getting the blessing and power of God_ for the souls
entrusted to us? Then our work would take its right place, and become
the subordinate one of really dispensing blessings which we had received
from God. It was when the friend at midnight, in answer to his prayer,
had received from Another as much as he needed, that he could supply his
hungry friend. It was the intercession, going out and importuning, that
was the difficult work; returning home with his rich supply to impart
was easy, joyful work. This is Christ's divine order for all thy work,
my brother: First come, in utter poverty, every day, and get from God
the blessing in intercession, go then rejoicingly to impart it.

NOTE D, Chap. X. p. 123

Let me once again refer my readers to William Law, and repeat what I
have said before, that no book has so helped me to an insight into the
place and work of the Holy Spirit in the economy of redemption as his
ADDRESS TO THE CLERGY.[2]

The way in which he opens up how God's one object was to dwell in man,
making him partaker of His goodness and glory, other way than by himself
living and working in him, gives one the key to what Pentecost and the
sending forth of the Spirit of God's Son into our hearts really means.
It is Christ in God's name really regaining and retaking possession of
the home He had created for Himself. It is God entering into the secret
depths of our nature there to "work to will and to do," to "work that
which is pleasing in His sight in Christ Jesus." It is as this truth
enters into us, and we see that there is and can be no good in us but
what God works, that we shall see light on the Divine mystery of prayer,
and believe in the Holy Spirit as breathing within us desires which God
will fulfil when we yield to them, and believingly present them in the
name of Christ. We shall then see that just as wonderful and prevailing
as the intercession and prayer passing from the Incarnate Son to the
Father in heaven is our intercourse with God; the Spirit, who is God,
br