fellow-heirs, therefore, with Christ, let us pray that we may resemble him in humility, in charity, in self-denial, in his uniform piety, and entire conformity to the will of God: the great end of prayer is to obtain ability to submit meekly to his pleasure, and admittance into that blessed place where God is, and where Christ sits at his right hand. These are things which we cannot entreat for too often, and there are others which we may be allowed to ask for, under the sanction of our Saviour's example; but the first thing to be considered is, the disposition of our minds. Prayer is a duty more generally practised than perhaps any other: we are accustomed to it from our childhood, and we continue it as a matter of course; but where is the fervent sincerity which should make our prayers the rule of our lives? they are often the work of the lips, not of the heart; and can we wonder if they produce neither comfort nor benefit? No person, perhaps, is

able to pray at all times with equal earnestness; but God, who sees the heart, probably looks upon this weakness as resulting from the imperfection of human nature, and therefore will pardon it; and certainly, the more frequently we pray, the less difficult we shall find it to withdraw our attention for the time from our temporal concerns and interests. It is not necessary to make long prayers, for that which our Saviour gave to his followers is a striking example to the contrary; but it is essential to acquire that seriousness which results from a deep sense of our entire dependance upon God, and our obligations to him; and this may indeed be called a natural feeling, for we cannot avoid being sensible that we are weak and helpless, that we can scarcely control one circumstance of our lives, and that it is out of our power to bestow life, or health, or prosperity, or any other advantages we might desire, either upon ourselves or our friends and in our spiritual

warfare we find, as St. Paul says of himself,

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some law warring against the law of our minds, that though to will is present with us, how to perform what is good we find not:" nor can we find it but by prayer; and this` will be effectual if it is offered with faith and submission." All things whatsoever ye ask in my name, believing, ye shall receive." This was the promise of our Saviour to his disciples, and we have every evidence from scripture that fervent prayer availeth much. Yet it does not always follow that, by believing only in God's power to grant our petitions, we are certain to receive all we ask for: were this the case, the covetous might pray for more wealth, the proud for honours, the vicious for pleasures; and we can all admit, that if such prayers were always granted, wickedness and misery might be accumulated to a degree dreadful to think of. Even the very best of us must join humility to faith when we pray, for we scarcely know what to pray

for as we ought, therefore our petitions may be refused in mercy to us, or not granted in the manner we wish, though they may be in some other way more adapted to our benefit. Our part is to place the most unshaken reliance on the goodness and promises of God, and continue to solicit with earnestness such things as we want; for we are told to "pray without ceasing," and "in every thing by prayer, and supplication with thanksgiving," to let our requests be made known unto God. Our Saviour prayed that the cup might pass from him. We therefore may pray for deliverance from temporal evils, for health, for prosperity, for all we want or wish for; but we must add the humility of Christ to our earnestness, and say, "nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Christ prayed for strength to support him in the trial he was to undergo; we may also pray for patience and fortitude in all our afflictions, for assistance, in all our undertakings. Christ prayed for

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his disciples while on earth; and we believe that he still intercedes for us in heaven. We then may pray for blessings upon our relations and friends, for their health and peace here, and for our joyful reunion with them hereafter. Christ also prayed for his enemies, thereby teaching us to pray for all mankind, for the evil as well as for the good. He prayed not only for his immediate followers, but for all who should believe in him through their word. And we ought to pray for the welfare and union of his church; that "the Lord of the harvest may send forth labourers into his harvest," that his ministers may be "zealous and blameless as the stewards of God, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience;" that the gospel of Christ may be so effectually propagated to the ends of the earth, that all nations may come to the knowledge of the truth, and "the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ."