V6 THE DOCTRÌÑE OF THE TRINITY, (SEEM. , Liv. he would work deep and unfeigned repentance in us, by his Holy Spirit, that his Spirit might change our natures into his own likeness, and restore his image, which is defaced by sin ; that he would send his Spirit to mortify all the corrupt principles that are within us, to lead us into all needful truth, and incline our hearts with power to the practice of every duty. We must ask, that he would - assist-us, by his Spirit, in all the holy and devout exethses of our souls, and enable us to worship God the Father aright, through Jesus Christ, in all his own ap- pointments. Weare to pray, that the Spirit of God may preserve the divine seed of grace alive in our souls, that he may recover us, whenever we go astray from God, and carry on his own heavenly work in us to perfection. We must seek, and wait for the divine influences, of this blessed Spirit, continually, to give and to maintain holiness and comfort: And we must take the utmost re- ligious care, lest, at any time, we grieve him, and cause him to depart, by resisting his sacred influences: And thus, with a daily dependance on the grace of the Holy Spirit, we must perpetually approach nearer to God, both in the temper of our souls, and in holy converse with him, till our state of trial be finished, and till the workof holiness is complete in heaven. It is a very natural inquiry here, whether we may directly address ourselves, in prayer, to the Son, or the Spirit of God, to bestow these divine influences upon us? To which I answer,' that the scripture, which is indited by the Spirit himself, generally instructs us to make God the Father the more direct object of our addresses in prayer, and to intreat the Father, to bestow his Spirit on us, because it is he sustains the supreme dignity and ma- jesty of godhead, as theLord and sovereign of all, as the prime Agent in our salvation, and prime object of wor- ship. It is the " Father of lights, that is the giver of every good and perfect gift ;" James i. 17. It is " the Father, that gives his Holy Spirit to them that ask it ;" Luke xi. 13. It is " the God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom St. Paul bowed his knees, that he would strengthen his saints, by his Spirit, in the inner man ;" .Eph: iii. I4, 16. And he " prays, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation," 5
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