offered to the throne of grace, we diligently study the word of God, we may humbly hope to experience its efficacy as the sword of the Spirit, subduing our unruly wills and affections, and enabling us with firmness and constancy to contend for the faith delivered to the saints, even that form of sound doctrine which we have embraced as members of the church of England.

But as the best armour and the best weapons are no protection to the soldier unless he have strength and valour to bear and to wield them, the apostle finally exhorts the militant Christian to

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pray always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance," as the means of supplying him strength and courage for the conflict with his spiritual enemies. Cowards gain neither earth nor heaven. But where lies the strength and courage of the Christian? Not in himself, but in the means of grace, in vigilance and prayer, through which, out of weakness, he is made strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. In prayer, religion lives, and moves, and has its being. It were as absurd to doubt the requisiteness of food to support the natural life in our bodies, as to question the necessity of prayer to sustain the spiritual life in our souls. Such vital influence however

it is not possible should result from that formal, cold, and heartless service which is so commonly and so truly called "saying our prayers," but on which thousands place a vain reliance. If the heart and soul be not engaged in the service with the lips, prayer is worse than a formality; it is one of those dead works which are the evidence and the offspring of a dead faith. It is only the spirit of prayer to which the answer of prayer is promised; and if we pray without that spirit, we pray vainly and presumptuously, as rejecting that assistance from above which is promised to all who seek it. It is with direct reference to our prayers, our Saviour's gracious promise is, "Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." But this promise is not unconditional. We often ask of heaven and receive not, through our ignorance in asking things that are not the subject of any gospel promise. But when we pray against besetting sins, we may pray with assurance, because we pray as instructed by our Lord himself, that we may be kept out of cireumstances of severe trial, and be delivered from the evil one, the grand adversary of our souls. If therefore we would overcome a temptation, let us pray earnestly and perseveringly for that spi

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ritual aid and ability by which alone sin and the power of sin can be effectually encountered and subdued. We have the recorded advice of a holy man as an argument for perseverance in prayer: "Leave not off praying; for either praying will make thee leave off sinning, or sinning will make thee leave off praying." As long as instant prayer is continued, the power of evil propensities is kept under; but when prayer is left off, or negligently performed, temptation returns, and seizes upon the unguarded strengths of the soul. Exclusively of prayer being the instrument for overcoming temptation, to which the grace of God is in direct terms promised, the very act of praying against a temptation, if sincere and fervent, is a denial of its power, a rejection of the crime, and a part of the victory. On the contrary, when the allurements of sin are listened to, the prayers against temptation are lessened, in proportion as the consent of the heart increases, to the criminal gratification. Prayer against sin must necessarily disquiet and alarm the mind of him who continues in sin, and oblige him either to break off those sins by repentance which make prayer painful to him, or to leave off those prayers which disturb him in his criminal enjoyment.

Let us then, my brethren, endeavour, as the apostle enjoins, to "pray always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance." Even if our prayers be unsuccessful, we are commanded to persevere in them, when we ask for divine help in the great work of our salvation. But as it would be solemn mockery to pray against a sin, unless we guard outwardly against the occasions of committing it, God has joined watchfulness and prayer inseparably together. It is therefore in exact proportion as we watch that God hears us when we pray. As long as our souls are in these mortal bodies, their dangers must continue, and so must our vigilance and circumspection. When we think we stand we are often in the greatest danger of falling. When we imagine we walk surely, we are often on the brink of a precipice. If we dismiss our guard and put off our armour, when we are only on truce with the enemy, when temptation is withdrawn but not conquered, and when our sinful propensities are not dead but sleeping; in our presumptuous security we may suddenly and irretrievably fall. By a constant watchfulness then, and by an habitual devotion, let us guard against the surprise of sudden temptation or of sudden death; praying always for that grace

which is sufficient for us, to be ever with us, so guiding and protecting us in our christian warfare as to enable us not only to resist but to triumph over the combined powers of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to reach at last the blessed period of all our trials and temptations, of all our sufferings and sorrows, in the heavenly rest and everlasting joy of our Lord.