Parochial and Plain Sermons

PsAr xxxvii. 84. "' IVait on the Lord, and keep 1-[is watj, and ZTe shall exalt thee go inherit the land."

HE Psalm fi'om which I have taken my text, is written with a view of encouraginff ffood men who are in perplexit.y,—and especially perplexity concernin God's designs, providence, and will. " Fret hot thyself;" this is the lesson it inculcates ri'oto first fo last. This world is in a state of confusion. Unworthy men prosper, and are looked on as the g, reatest men of the rime. Truth and goodncss are thrown into the shade; but wait paticntly,—peace, be still; in the end, the Letter side shall triumph,—the meek shall inherit the earth. Doubtlcss the Church is in great darkness and perplexity undcr the Christiau dispensafion, as well as under the Jewish.:Not that Christianity does no explain fo us the most important religious questions,— which it does o our 'reat comfort; but that, from the nature of the case, imperfect beings, as we are, must alwa.ys be, on the wholc, in a state of darkness. INray,

O[ediezce t/e Remedy, d"c. 2 9 the xTery doeh-ines of the New Testamen themselves bring" wifl then their own peeuliar dieulties; and, till we learn to quie out minds, and to sehool flwm into submission fo God, we shall probably find more perplexiy than information even in wha St. Paul ealls "tire ligh of the g.lorious Gospel of Chris ." evela- ion was no given us o satisfy doubts, but fo make us better men; and itis as we become better mel, that it becomes light and peace to our souls; though even to the end of our lires we shall find dicultics both in if and in thc world around us. I will make some remarks to-day on thc case of thos who, though they are in the wholc honest inquirers in religion, yet arc more or less in pcrplexity and anxiety, and so are discouraged. The use of diculties fo all of us in our trial in this world is obvious. Out fitith is variously assailed by doubts and dieulties, in order to prove its sincerity. If we really love God and tIis Son, we shall go on in spire of opposition, even flmugh, as in the case of tire Canaanitish woman, He seem to repel us. If wc are hot in earnest, dieulty makes us turn baek. This is one of the ways in whieh God separates the corn fron the ehaff, gradually gathering eaeh, as rime goes on, into ifs own heap, till the end cornes, when "He will gather the wheat into His garner, but the ehaff He will burn with tire unquenehable. '' Now, I am aware that to some persons if ma.y sound strange to speak of dc«llies in religion, for they find

OE3 o Oedioce t/e _elnedy w begin o seek God n eornest., th less o and perplexity we are likely fo endure, ye flis ignorance of religious diNeulies in a grea many cases, I fear, arises fi'om inoranee of religion itself, lqen out hearts are no in out work, and we are bu carried on wit.h the stream of the world, continuing in the Chureh beeause we find oursdves there, obserng religious ordinanees merely because we are used fo hem, and professing tobe Christians bccause others do, i is hot f.o be cxpeetcd fhat we should know what i is to fcel ourselves wrong, and unable fo gct right., to feel doubt, anxiefy, disappointment, disconfent; whereas, when our minds are awakcned, and we sec tha there is a rig'h way and a wrong way, and fhat we have mueh fo learn, when we try fo gain religious knoMedge fi'om Seripture, and fo apply i fo our selves, fhen from rime fo rime we are troubled with doubfs and misgivings, and are oppressed with gloom. To all those who are perplexed in any way soever, who wish for light but eannot find if, one preeept must be givcn,oe2. Itis obedienee whieh brinffs a man into the rig'h path; if is obedienee keeps him fhere and strenthens him in if. Under all ciremnstances, whatever be the cause of his distress,obey. In the words of the texç, "Wait on the Lord, and keep His wa35 and He shall exalt thee." et us apply this exhortation fo fhe case of those who have bu lately faken up fhe stbjee of religion ai all. Every science has ifs diNeulties af firs; why then should the science of living well be wiçhouç them?

Vhen the subject of religion is new to us, if is strange. We bave heard truths all our lives without feeling them duly; at length, when they affect us, ve cannot bclieve them tobe the saine we ha.vë long knowu. Vc are thrown out of our fixcd notions of things; an embarrassment ensues; a gcneral painful uncertainty. e say, "Is the ]3ible true? Is it possible?" and are distressed by evil doubts, wlfich wc can hard]y explain fo oursclves, much less to othcrs.:No ouc can help us. And the rclative hnportance of prcsent objects is so altered ri'oto what it was, that we can scarce]y form any judgment upon them, or when we attemp it, we forma wrong judg'ment. Our eyes do not accomrnodate themselves fo the various distances of the objeets before us, and are dazzled or like the blind man restored to sight, we "see men as trees, walking. » 3[oreover, our judgment of persons, as well as of things, is changed; and, if hot every where ehang-ed, yet af first every where suspected by ourselvcs. And this general distrust of ourselves is the greater the longer we have been already livin in inattention fo sacred subjects, aud the nmre 'e now are humbled and ashamed of oursclves. And it leads us to take up with the first relig'ious guide who offers himself to us, wlmtever be his real fitness for the office. To these agitations of mind about what is truth and what is error, is added an anxiety about oursclves, which, however sincere, is apt to lead us wrong'. We do hot feel, think, and act as relig-lously as we could

wish; and while we are sorry for if, we are also (perhaps) somewhat surd)r;sed af it, and impatient af it,—which is natural but unrcasonable. Instead of rcflccting" that wc arc just setting about our recovery fi'om a most serious disease of long" standing, we conceive we ought to bc able to trace the course of our recovery by a sensible improvement. This same paticnce is scen in persons who are rccovering from bodilv indisposition. They gain streng"th slowly, and arc betfcr perhaps for some days, and then worse again; and a slight relapse dispirits them. In the samc way, when wc begin fo seek God in earnest, we are apt, not only to be humblcd (which we ought to be), but fo be diseourag"ed af the slowness with whieh we are able to anaend, in spite of all the assistances of God's g"race. FOl'g"ctting" that our proper title af very best is that of penitent sinners, we seek to fise ail af once into the blessedness of the sons of God. This impatience leads us to misuse the purpose of self-examination; which is principally intended to inform us of out sins, whereas we are disappointed if if does not af once tell us of our improvement. Doubtless, in a leng"th of time we shall be eonseious of improvement too, but the objeet of ordinary self-examination is to find out whether we are in earnest, and again, what we have donc wron, in order that we may pray for pardon, and do better. Further, reading" in Seripture how exalted the thoug"hts and spirit of Christiaus should be, we are apt to forger that a Christian spirit is the g"rowth of rime; and that we eanuot force if upon out minds, however desirable and neeessary if may be to possess if; that by giving- utferance o religious sen'timents we do not become religious, rather the reverse; whereas, if we strove to obey God's will in all things, we actually should be gradually training our hearts into the fulness of a Christian spirit. But hot understanding this, lnen are led to speak much and expressly upon sacred subjects, as if if were a duty fo do so, and in the hope of ifs making them better; and they mcasure their advance lu faith and holiness, hot by their power of obeying God in practice, mastering their wills, and becoming more exact in their daily duties, but by the warmth and energy of their rclig'ious feelings. And, when they eannot sustain these fo that height which thcy eonsider ahnost the characteristic of a truc Christian, then they are discouraged, and tempted fo dcspair. Addcd fo this, somctimes their old sins, 1-cviving ri'oto the slumber into whieh they bave been cast for a rime, rush over their minds, and seem prepared fo take them captive. They c W to Goal for aid, but He seems not to hear them, and they know hOt which way fo look for safcty. Now such persons must be reminded first of all, of the greatness of the work which they have undertaken, riz. the sanctification of their souls. Those, indeed, who think this an easv task, or (which cornes to the saine thing) who think that, though hard in itself, it will be easy fo thcm, for God's grace will take all the toil of it from them, such mcn of course nmst be disappolnted on finding by experience the force of their original evil nature, and the extreme slowness with which even  Christian is blc to iml»rove if. And itis tobe feared that this disappointment in some cases issues in a belief that if is i»2ossib[e fo overcorne our evil selves; that bad we are, bad we must be; that our innate corruption lies like a load in our hearts, and no more admits of improvement than a stone does of llght and thought; and, in consequence, that all we have to do, is to believe in Christ who is to save us and to dwell on the thoughts of His perfect work for us,—that this is all we can do,mand that i is presumption as well as folly to attempt more. But what says the text? "Vait on the Lord and kcep His way." And Isaiah? "They that wait upon thc Lord shall reew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and hot faint ." And St. Patd? " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me ".» The very fruit of Christ's passion was the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was fo enable us fo do what othenvise we could hot do" to worb o«t ont owt salvatiot ."—Yet, while we must aire af this, and feel convinced of our ability to do if af length through the gifts bestowed on us, we cannot doit rightly without a deep settled conviction of the exceeding difficulty of the vork. That is, not only shall wc be tempted fo negligence, but to impatience also, and thence into all kinds of unlawful treatments of the soul, if we be possessed by a notion that religious discipline soon becornes easy to the believer, and that the heart is speedily changed. Christ's "yoke is easy :" true, to those who are aceustomed fo if, hOt fo the unbroken neck. " Wisdom is very unpleasant fo thc un]carned (says the son of Sirach), he that is without undcrstanding will hot renmin with ber." "Af the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and forment him with ber discipline, until she may trust hls soul and try him by hcr laws. Then will she return the straig'ht vay unto him, and comfort him, and show him ber secrets 1.,, Let, then, every beginncr makc up hls mind fo surfer disquiet and perplcxity, tic cannot complain that if should be so; and though he should be deeply ashamed of himself that if is so (for had he followed God from a child, his condition would bave been far different, though, even then perhaps, not without some perplexities), still he bas no cause to be surpriscd or discouraged. The more he makes up his mind manfully fo bear doubt, struggle against if, and meekly fo do God's will ail through if, the sooner this unsettled state of mind will cease, and order will fise out of confusion. "Watt on the Loxl," this is the rule; "keep Itis way," this is the manner of waiting. Go abou your duty; mind little things as well as great. Do hot pause, and say, "I ara as I was; day after day passes, and still no light;" go on. It is very pa.inful to be haunted by wandering" doubts, fo bave thoughts shoot aeross the mind about the reality of religion altogether, or of this or that partieular doctrine of if, or about the eorreetness of one's own faith, and the safety of

236 O3ediece t/ze IYcn¢edy oneN own state. But ig musg be right fo serve God; we bave a voiee within us answering to the injunetion in the text, of waiting" on Him and keeping  His way. David confesses if. "When Thou saidst, Seek ye face; my heart sald unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek ."—And surely sueh obedient vaiting upon Him will obtain His blessing. "_I31e**ed are they that keep His eommandments." And besides tllls express promise, even if" we had fo seeld for a way to understand His pertbet will, eould we eoneeive one of g"reater promise Lhan that of beginlling" with little things, and so gradually lnaking progress? In all other thing's is hot this tlle way to pel'tetion? Does hot, ehild learn to walk short distances at first? AVho would attempt to bear great wcights belote he had sueeeeded with the lesser? It is froln God's great goodness that our daily constant duty is plaeed in the performance of small and eomparatively easy services. To be dutiful and obedient in ol-dinary matters, to speak the truth, to be honest, fo be sol»er, to keep from sinful words and thoughts, to be kind and forgiving,—and all this for out Saviour's sake, —let us attempt t]ese duties tlrst. ;e#even will be diffieult,—the least of them; still t.hey are mueh easier than the solution of t.he doubts whieh harass us, and they will by degrees give us a praetieal knovledge of the Truth. To take one instance, out of many whieh might be. g"iven: suppose we have any perplcxing, indeselbable doubts about the Divine power of out Blessed Lord, or c0ncerning the doctrine of the Trinity; well, let us leave the subject and turn to do God's will. If we do this in fifith and humility, we shall in rime find that, while we h;tve been obeying out S,viour's prccepts, and imitating" His conduct in the Gospels, out difllcultics bave been removed, though if may take time fo removc them; and though we arc hot, during the rime, scnsi]»le of vhat is going" on. There may, indeed, be cases in which they are never rcmoved entircly,—and iu which doubtless some great and good objcct is sccured by the trial; but we may fairly and safc]y look out for a more eomfortable issue. And so as regards all our difficulties. "' 'Vait on the Lord, and kccp His way." His word is sure; we may safely trust if. We shall gain light as fo general doctrines by embodying them in those partieular instances in whieh they beeome ordinary duties. But it too often ha.ppens, that from one cause or other men do hot pursue this simple method of gradually extrieating themselves from error.—They seek some new path which promises to be shorter and casier than the lowlv and the eireuitous way of obedienee. They wish to arrive at the heig.hts of Mount Zion without windiv.g round its base; and at first (it must be confessed) they seem to make greater progress than those who are content to vait, and work righteousness. I,npatient of "sitting" in darkness, and having no ]ight," and of eompleting the Prophet's picture of, saint in trouble, "' by fearing the Lord, and obeying the voice of His servant, » hey expect to gain speedy peace and holiness by means of new teachers, and by a new doctrine. Many are misled by confidence in themselves. They look back af the first seasons of their repentance and conversion, as if thê rime of their greatest knowledge; and instead of considering that their earliest relig'ious notions were probably the most confused and mixed with error, and therefore endeavouring to separate the good from the bad, they consecrate all they then felt as a standard of doctrine to which they are bound to appeal; and as to the opinion of others, they think little of it, for religioi being a nev subjcct to thcmselves, they are easily led to think it must be a nev and untried subject to others also, espccially, since the best men are often the least willing to converse, except in private, on religious subjects, and still more averse to speak of them to those vho they think will hot value them rightly. But, leaving the mention of those who err from selfconfidence, I would rather lament over such  are led away from the path of plain simple obedience by a coinpliance with the views and Mshes of those a.round them. Such persons there are all through the Church, and ever bave been. Such perhaps have been many Christians in the communion of the Church of Rome; wh% feeling deeply the necessity of a religous lire, yet stve by means different from those which God has blessed, to gain His favour. Thcy begîn religion af the very end of it, and make those observances and rules the chier means of pleasing Him, which in fact should be but the spontaneous acts of the formed Christian retaper. And for teliious Per leity.  3 9 others amon ourselves are bound by  similr yoke of bondag'e, thoug, h if be more speeiously disg'uised, when they subjeet their minds fo certain unseriptural rules, nd fney they must separ.te in some self-devised way from the world, and tlmt they must speak and aet aeeordin to some arbitrry and novel form of doctrine, whieh they try fo sel belote themselves, instead of endeavourin fo imbue their hearts xvith that free, ureonstrained splrit of devotion,vhieh lowly obedienee in ordinary matters would impereeptibly form within them. tIow many are there, more or less snob, who love the Truth, and would fifin do God's will, who yet are led aside and walk in bondage, while they are promised superior light and freedom! They desire to be living members of the Church, and thcy anxiously seck out whatcver they can admire in the true sons of the Church; but they feel forced to mcasurc every thing" by a certain superstitious standard which they revcre,—they are frightencd af shadows,—and thus thcy are, from rime to rime, embarrassed and perplexed, whenever, that is, they eannot reconcile the conduct and lives of those who are • eally, and vhom they wish to believe eminent Christians, with that false religious system which they bave adopted. Belote conclud[ng, I must notice one other state of mind in which the precept of "waitlng on God and keeping His way," will avail, above all others, to lead right a doubting  and perplexed mind. If sometimes happens, fi'om ill health or other cause, that persons fall into religious despondency. They fancy that they have so abused God's mercy that there is no holoe for them; that once they knew the Truth, but tllat now it is withdrawn from them; that they bave had warning, s which they have neg'lected, and now thcy are left by the Holy Spirit, and given over to Satan. Then, they recollect divers 1oassagês of Scr]pture, which speak of the peril of fidling away, and they apply these to thcir own case. Now I speak of such instances, only so far as they tan be callcd ailments of the mind,—for offert they must be treated as ailments of the body. As fir as they are mental, let us observe how it will conduce to restore the quiet of the mind, fo attend to the humble ordinary duties of out station, that walking- in God's way, of which the text speaks. Sometimes, indeed, persons thus afllicted increase thcir disorder by attempting to console themselves by t.hose elevated Christian doctrines which St. Paul enlarg'es on; and others encourage them init. But St. Paul's doctrine is hot intended for weak and unstablc minds '. He says himself: " We speak wisdom among" thcm that are erfect;" hot fo those who are (what he calls) «babes in Christ. '' In proportion as we gain streng'th, we shall be able fo understand and profit by the full promises of the Christian covenant; but those who are confused, agitated, restless in their minds, who busy themse]ves with many thoughts, and are ovcrwhelmed with conflicting feeling, s, such persons are, in general, rnade more rest]ess and more unlmpl)y (as the experience of icl beds mav show us), by holding out to them doctrines and assurances which they cannot rightly jor icli«ious Perlci,. e4t apprehend. Now, hot fo speak of that peeu|iar blessing" whieh is lromised fo obedienee to God's will, let us observe how well it is ea|eulated, by its natural effeet» to soothe and eahn the mind. Then we set about fo obey God, in the ordinary businesses of daily life, we are at once interested by realities whieh vithdraw our minds ffom vague fears and uneerain indefinite surmises about the future. Vithout laying side the thoughts of' Crist (the contrary), still we lcarn to view IIim in His tranquil providence, belote we set about contemplating tIis greater works, and we are savcd from taking an unchristian thought for thc morrow, while we are busled in loresent services. Thus our Saviour gradually discloses Himself to the troubled mind; hot as He is in heaven, as when He struck down Saul (o (he ground, but as He was in the days of His flesh, eating" and conversing among His brethrcn, and bidding  us, in imitation of Him, think no duty beneath the notice of (hose who sincerely wish fo lolease God. Such afflicted inquirers, then, after truth, must be exhorted to keep u guard upon their feelings, and to control their hearts. They say they are terrificd lest they should be past hope; and (hey will hot be persuaded that God is all-merciful, in spire of all the Scriptures say to hat etIct. Vell, then, I would take them on their own ground. Suplosing • (heir state to be as wretched as is conceivable, can they deny it is their duty tow fo serve Goal? Can they do better ±ban try to serve Him? Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him ." They say they do hot wis] to serve ' Job xiii. 15 [q r

z4z O3cdicncc te Rcmcdy God,—thaL they wanL a hearL fo serve Him. Ie us granL (if they will bave iL so), thaL Lhey are mos obduraLe; sLill they are alive,—they musL be doin someflain, and ean they do aug'hL better t.laan try to quiet themselves, and be resigned,.qlld fo do riffhL rather Lhan wronff, even thoug'h they are persuaded thaL iL does noL eome ri-oto their hearL, and is noL acceptable fo God? They s.y they date noL ask for God's graee fo assisL Lhem. This is doubtless a miserable state: still, sinee they musL aeL in some way, thoug'h they eannoL do wha is really g, ood withouL His" graee, yet, aL leasL, leL them do whaL seems like Lruth and g'oodness. Nay, Lhoug'h iL is shoeking fo sel belote their minds sueh a prospeet, eL even were they already in the place of punishment, will Lhey noL eonfess, it would be the besL thing, they eould do, fo eommiL then as little sin as possible? lueh more, then, »ov, when, even if they lmve no hope, their hearL aL leas is noL so enirely h.al'dened as if will be then. IL mus noL be for an insLanL supposed I ara admittlng" Lhe possibility of a person being rejeeted by God, who bas any sueh rig'hL feeling's in lais mind. The an.'vàeLy of flae sufferers I bave been deseribing 5 shows Lhey are still under the influence of Divine g, raee, thoug'lt they will noL Mlow iL; buL I say this, fo g'ive.noLher insLnnee in whieh a deLerminaLion fo obey God's will sLrietly in ordinary maLLers tends, throug'h His blessing', Lo ealm and eomfoloE flae mind, aM fo bring" i ouL of lerplexity into the elear day. And so in various other cases whieh mlg'laL be reeounted. Wlmever out diffieuly be, flais is plain.

"Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt hee." Or in our S,viour's words: " He tha lmth 3/[y eomma.ndments and keepeth them, he if is tha loveth e; and he that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifes Myself fo him." "Whosoever shall do and teaeh these leas eommandments, shall be ealled great in the kingdom of heven." "Whosoever bath, fo him slmll be given, and he shall bave more abundanee ."

"Thon, whea thon p.ayest, enter into thy closet, and whea thon hast shut thy door, Tray fo thy t'ather which is la secret; and thy _,X'ather which seelh i secret shall 'ewarcl thee oTelq. '»

ERE îs our Saviour's own sanction and blesslng vouchsafed to private prayer, in simple, clear, and roost 'acious words. The Pharisees were in the practice, when they prayed by themselves, of praylng in2ntlic, in the corners of the streets; a strange inconsistency according to our notions, since in our languagc prayer by oneself is even called pricate lrayer.:Public private prayer, this was their selfeonfradicto T practice. Varning, then, His disciples,gainst the particular form of hypocrisy in which the self-conceit of human nature af that day showed itselt', our Lord promises in the text His Father's blessing on iuch humble supplications as were really addressed to tIim, and not ruade to gain the praise of men. Those who seel: the unseen God (He seems fo say), seek Him in their hearts and hidden thoughts, hot in loud words, as if He were far off from them. Such men would

Times of lrivate Praycr.

retire fi-om the world into places where no human eye saw them, there fo meet Him humbly and in faith, who is "about their path, and about their bed, and spieth out ail their wavs." And He, the Searcher of hearts, would reward them openly. Prayers uttered in secret., aceordin, fo God's will, are treasured up in God's Book of Lire. They seem, ]erhaps, fo have soug, ht an answer here, an«l fo laave failecl. Thcir memory perishes even in the mind of the petitioner, and the world never knew of them. But God is ever mindfui, and in the last day, when the books are opened, they shall be disclosed and rewarded before the whole world. S uch is Christ's gracious promise in the text, aeknowledg"ing" and blessing,, in His condescension, those devotional exercises which were a duty even before Scripture enjoined them; and chang, ing" into a privileg'e that work of faith, which, tlloug"h biddcn by conscience, and authorized by reason, yet before He revealed His lnercy, is laden, in every man's case who attempts it, with guilt., remorse, and fear. It is the Christian's unspeakable lrivileg"e, and his alone, hat he has af ail times free access fo the throne of g-race throug-h the mediation of his Lord and Saviour. But-, in what. I shall now say concerning" prayer, I shall hot consider if. as a privilege, but as a duty; for till we bave some experience of the duties of religion, tre are incapable of entering duly into the privileg'es; and it is too rnuch the fashion of the day fo view prayer ehiefly as a rnere l»rivilege, such a privileg'e as if is inconsiderate incleed fo neg'lect, but only inconsiderate, hot sinful; and optional to use.

OE46 Ti»zes of Privnte P'a.3,cr. Now, we know well enou'h that we are bound fo be in one sense in prayer and meditation all the day long'. The question then arses, are we to pray in nny other wny? Is it enoug'h to keep our minds fixed upon God through the day, nnd to commune -ith Him in our hears, or is it, neeessnry, over and ni)ove this habitunl faith, to se npart partieulr imes for the more systemnt[c and earnest exereise of if? leed we pray at certain rimes of the day in a set manner? _Public worship, indeed, from ifs very nature, requires 2)laces» lignes, and eveu set.]br»s. But »'ivate prayer does hot neccssarily require set ti»tes, because we have no one to consult but ourselves, and we are always with ourselves; nor./br»zs, for there is no one else whose thoughts are fo keep pace with ours. Still, though set rimes and forms of lrayer are hot absolutely «zecessarj in private prayer, yet they are highly expedient; or rather, rimes are actually commanded us by our Lord in the text, "' Thou, wlte» thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall rewa.rd thee openly." In these words certain ti»tes for private prayer, ovcr and above the secret thought of God which must ever be alivc in us, are clearly enjoined; and the practice of good men in Scripture gives us an example in confirmation of the comnmnd.:Even our Saviour had His peculiar seasons of communing" wlth God. tIis thoug'hts indeed were one continucd sacred service offered up Io. His Father nevertheless, we rend of His going up "into n mountain al»art to pra55" and again, of His "continu-

Ti.mes of Priz,ate Prayer. -47 ing ail nig'ht in prayer to Godi. " Doubtless, you well reeolleet that solitary prayer of His, belote IIis passion, thriee rcpeated, "tlmt the eup migh pass from Him." St. Ieter too, as in the n,rrative of the conversion of Cornelius, the Roman eenturion, in the tenth ehapter of the Aets, went up upon the house-top to pray about the sixth hour; then God visited him. And Nathanael seems fo have been in prayer under the fig-tree, at the tilnc our Saviour saw him, and lhilip called him might multiply instances froln Scripturc of such "Israelites without guilc;" which arc of course applicable o us, becausc, flmug'h they vcre nudcr a Divine govcrnment in many respects different froln the Christian, yet 2ersoal religion is thc same at all times; "the just" in every dispensation "shall live by taith, '' and whatever reasons there vcre then for falth to display and maintain itself by stated praycr, remain substantially the saine nmv. Iet two passages suflice. The Psalmist says, "Serez» rimes a day do I praise Thee, bccause of Thy righteous judgmcns. '' And Danicl's practice is told us on a melnorable occasion: "Nmv whcn Danicl knew that the writing was signed (the ilnpious decl'ee, forbiddilg prayer to any but king" Darius for thirty days), he went into his bouse, and his windows being" open in his chamber toward Jcrusalem, he kneeled upon his knees t]ree tic,ces, day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his Goal, as ]e did @reti»e .'" If is plain, then, besides the devotiolal tempcr in whieh we should pass the day, more solemn and direct  l[att, xiv. 23. Lukc vL 12,  John i. 48.  Ps. cxix, 16.  Dan. vi. 10.

48 Times of P.rivale P.raye.r. nets of worship, nay, «e.qdar amloerodieal, are required of us by the preeept of Christ., and His own example, and that of His Apostles and Prophets under both eovenants. 1Yow if is neeessary fo insist upon ths duty of observing private prayer at stated rimes, because amid the eares and hurry of lire men are very apt fo negleet it: and if is a mueh more important duty than if is generally eonsidered, even by those who perform it. If is important for the two reasons whieh follow. 1. If brings religious subjeets before the mind in rcgular course, t'rayer throt,q]t the day, is indeed the eharaeteristie of a Christian spirit, but we may be sure that., in most cases, those who do not pra.y af stated rimes in a more solemn and direct manner, will never pray well af other rimes. We knov in the eommon engagements of lire, the importance of eolleeting and arranging out thoughts ealmly and aeeurately belote proeeeding to any important business, in order fo the right performance of if; and so in that one really needful occupation, the eare of our eternal interests, if we would have out minds eomposed, our desires subdued, and our tempers heavenly through the day, we must, belote eommeneing" the day's employment., stand still awhile to look into ourselves, and commune with out hearts, by way of preparing ourselves for the trials and duties on whieh we are entering. A like reason ma.y be assigned for evening prayer, riz. as affording- us  thne of looking baek on the day past, and summing up (as if were) that aeeount, whieh, if we do hot reekon, af least God bas reekoned, and written down in that book whieh will be

Timcs of Pri,ate Prayer. 249 produced af the Judgment;, tlme of confesslng sin, and of praying for forglveness, of giving thanks for what we bave donc well, and for mercics received, of making good rcsolutions in reliance on the hclp of God, and of sealing up and setting sure the day past, af least as a stepping-stonc of good for the morrow. The precise rimes indeed of private prayer arc no where comnmnded us in Scripture; the most obvious arc those I havc mcntioned, morning and evcnlng'. In the texts just now read fo you, you hcard of praying three rimes a day, or scvcn rimes. All this depcnds of course on the opportunlties of each individual. Some men bave hOt ]eisure for this; but for mornin. and evening" prayer all men can and should na/«e leisure. Stated rimes of private prayer, then, are useful as impulses (so to say) to the continuous devotion of the day. They instruct us and engage us in what is ever our duty. If is commonly said, that what is every one's business is practically no one's; this applies here. I repeat if, if we le,ve religion as a subject of thought for all hours of the day equally, it will bc thought of in none. In all things if is by small beginnings and apl»olnted channels that an advance is ruade to extensive works. Stated rimes of prayer l»Ut us in that posture (as I may call it) in whleh we oug'ht ever to be; they urge us forward in a heavenly direction, and then thc stream carries us on. For the saine reason it is Cxl»edlent, if l»ossible, to be solemn in the forms of our private worship, in order fo impress our minds. Our Savlour kueelecl down, fell on His face, and prayed ,  Matt. xxvL 39. Luke xxii, 41.

 50 Tçmcs o.[" Pr£ate Prayer. o did His Apostles ; and so did lm Saints of the Old Tesa.men. Henee many persons are aeeusomed (sueh as have lm opportuniy) o se apar a parieular plae for tlmir private devotions; still for tlm saine reason, fo compose heir mind,as Chris ells us in lm ext, o enter into out closet. . I nov corne fo thc second reason for stated privait praycr. Besldes ifs tcndin fo produce in us lasting religious impressions, which I have already enlared upon, it is also a more direct mcans of gainin from God an answcr to our requests. He has so sanctioned it in thc tcxt:—" Shut thy door, and pray fo thy Father which seeth in secret, and Ho shall reward thee openly." We do not know ow it is that prayer receives an answer ri'oto God at all. It is strange, indeed, that veak man should have strength to move God; but it is our privilege to knov tha.t we cci» do so. The whole system of this vorld is a history of man's interfering vith Dîdne decrees; and if we have the melancholy power of baffiing His good-wfll, to our om ruin (an awful, an incomprehensible truth!), if, when He designs out eternal salvation, we can yet annul our heavcnly election, and accomplish our eternal destruction, much more bave we the power to more Him (blessed be His naine l) when He, the Searcher of hearts, discerns in us thc mind of that Holy Sl»irit, which « maketh intercession for the saints accordin fo His will." And, as Ho bas thus promised an answer to our poor prayers, so it is hot more strnge that prayers offered up t particular rimes, and in  particr way, I Acts xx. 36; xxi. 5. Eph. iii. 1.

Ti»zes of Private Praycr. 5 x should have espeeially prevailing" power with Him. And the reason of if may be as follows. If is faith that is the appointed means of gaining" all blessing's fi'om Goal. '" All things are possible fo him that believethl. '' low, af stated times, when we gather up our thoug'hts fo lray, and draw out our petitions in an orderly and clear manner, the act of çaith is likely fo be stronger and more earnest; then we realize more perfectly the presence of that God whom we do hot sec, and IIinl on whom once all our sins wcrc laid, who bore the weig-ht of our infirmities and sicknesses once for all, that in all our troubles we might seek Him, and find grace in rime of need. Thon this world is more out of sig'ht, and we more simply appropriate those blessins, which we have but to claire humbly and they are rcally ours. Stated times of 1)rayer, then, are necessary; first, as a means of making the mind sober, and the general temper more reliious; secondly, as a means of exercising" earnest faith, and thereby of receiving" a more certain blessin in answer, than we should otherwise obiain. Other reasons, doubtless, may be given; but these are enoug'h, hot only as containing" subject for thoug'ht which may be useful fo us, but besicles, as scrvinff fo show how wise and merciful those Divine provisions really are, which our vain minds are so al)t fo question. All God's commands, indeed, oug'ht to be received af once upon iaith, thoug'h we saw no reason for them. If is no excuse for a man's disobeying them, even if he thinks he sees rea.sons ag'ainst them; for God knows  Mark ix. 23.

g 5 2 Times of Prizate PYcz A,c: better than we do. ]3u in grea condeseension He has allowed us o sec here,and thcre His reasons for what He does and enjoins; and we should reasure up these oeeasional notiees as memorials against the Lime of emptaion, tha when douLt and unbelicf assil us, and we.are perplexed ai IIis revealed word, we may eall o mind those fol'mer instances in out own experienee, where what,ai flrst seemed stran'e and hard, on closer consideration was found o bave, wise end. Now the duty of h`avlng" stated times ot private praye" is one of those observances, coneerning- which we `are apt o entertain tle unLelieving- thoug'hts I have Leen deseribin-. Il seems fo us o be, form, or ai lc,st a. lig'ht marier, to observe or omit; whereas in truth, sueh cre`atures are we, there is the most close and remarlaLle connexion between small oLserv`anees and the permanence of out ehief habits and praetiees. Il is easy to sec why itis irksome; beeause it presses upon us and is ineonvenient. I is a duty whieh el.aims out attention eontinually,.anti its irksomeness leads out hearts o x-cLel; and then we proeeed o search for reasons o justify out own dislike of il. Nothin is more difl]eult than o Le diseiplined and rcular in out relig'ion. Il is very easy fo Le x-eligious Ly fits and starts, and fo keep up out feelins Ly m'tificial stimul.ants; Lut reg'ularity seems o trammel us, and we Leeome impatient. This is especially the case with those to 'lom the woHd is as yet new,.and who ean do as they please, leligion is the ehief suLjeet whleh meets hem, whieh enjoins 'egularity; and they Le.af it only so f.ar as they ean m.ake it like thing-s of his woHd» something" eurlous» or changeable» or exeiting-.

Timcs of P'iate Pray«r.  53 Satan knows his advantage here. He pereeives well enough that statecI pfivatc prayer is the very emblem and safeguarçl of true dcvotion to God, as impressing on us and kecping up in us a rule of conduct.. IIe who gives up regularity in prayer bas lost a principal means of reminding himself that spritual life is obedience to  Lawgiver, hot a mere fceling or a faste. Hence itis that so many persons, especially in the polished ranks of society, 'ho are out of the vay of temptation fo gross vice, fall away nto a mere ]uxurious self-indulgent devotion, which they take for religion; they rejeet every thing which implies self-dcnial, and regular prayer especial]y. Hcnce it is that others run into all kinds of enthusiastic fimcies; because, by giving up set private rayer in written forms, they have lost the chief rule of their hearts. Accordi,gly, you will hear them cxclaim against rcgular pra.yer (which is the ve T medicine suited to their disee) as  formal service, and maintain that rimes and places and fixed words are bcneath the attention of a spiritual Christian. And dthers, who are exposed to the seductions of sin, altogether fall awav ri-oto the same omission. Be sure, my brethren, whoever of you is persuaded to disuse his morning and evening prayers, is glving up the armour qfich is o secure him against the wiles of the Devil. If you have left off the observance of them, you may fall any day; and you wfil fall without notice. For a rime you will go on, seeming fo yourselves to be the same as before; but the Israelites might as well hope fo lay in a stock of mann as you of grace. You pray God for your daily bread, your bread day by day; and if you have net prayed for if this morning, it wi]l profit you little that you prayed for it yesterda.y. You did then pra.y and you obtaiued,—but hot a supply for two days. When you have given over the practice of stated prayer, you gradually bccome vealer without knoving it. Samson did hot knoxv he had lost his strength till the Philistines came upon him; you will thinlc yourselves the meu you used tobe, till suddcnly your adversary vill corne furiously upon you, and you will as suddenly fall. You xvill be able to make little or no resistauce. This is the path vhich leads to death. Men first leave off priva.te prayer; then they negdect the due observance of the Lord's day (which is a. sta.ted service of the saine kind); then they gradually let slip ri'oto their minds the very idea of obedience to a. fixed eternal law; then they actually allow themselves in things which their conscicnce couderons; then they lose the direction of their conscience, xvhich being ill used, at length refuses to direct them. And thus, being left by their true inward guide, the are obliged to take another guide, their reason, which by itself knows little or nothing about religion; then, this their blind reason forms a system of right or vrong for them, as well as it tan, flattering to their own dêsires, and presumptuous where if is no actually corrupt.:No wonder such  scheme contradicts Scripture, which it is soon found fo do; not that they are ceoEain to perceive this themselves; they often do hOt know it, and think themselves still believers in the Gospel, while they ma.intain doctrines which the Gospel condemns.:But somêtimes they perceive that thelr system is contmry fo Scripture; and then, instead of giving if up, they give up Scripture, and profess themselves unbelicvcrs. Such is the course of disobedience, beginning" in (apparently) slight omissions, and ending in open unbelicf; and all mcn who walk in the broad way which leads to destruction are but af different stages of if, one more advanced than another, but all in one way. And I have spoken of it here, in order to remind you how intim.ntcly if is connected with Che neglect of set private prayer; whereas, he who is strict in the observance of prayer morniug" and evening., praying-wiCh his heart as well as his lips, can hardly go astray, for every morning" and evening" brings him monitor to draw him back and restore him. Bcware then of the subtilty of your Enemy, who would fain rob you of your defence. Do hot yield fo his bad reasonings. Be on your g'uard especially, when you get into novel situations or circumstances which interest and dclight yon, lest they throw you out your regularity in prayer. Any thing new or unexpected is dang-erous fo you. Going much into mixed society, and seeing many strange persons, taking" share in any pleasant amusements, reading" interesting, books, entering into a new line of lire, forming, some new acquaintance, the sudden prospect of any worldly advantag.e, travelling-; all Chese tMng-s and such like, innocent as hey are in hemselves, and capable of  relig-ious use, become means of temptation if we are hot on our, guard. See Chat you are hOt unsettled by them; Chis is Che danger; fear becoming, utsettled. Consider that stability of mind is the chief of virtues, for if is Faith. "Thou wil keep him in lerfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Theel '' this is the promise. But "the wicked arc like the troublcd sea when if cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace, saith my God, to the wickedï' Nor to the wicked only, in out common sense of the word "wickcd," but fo none is there test, who in any way leave their God, and rove affer the goods of this world. Do not indulge visions of earthly good, fix your hearts on higher things, let your morning and evening" thoughts be points of test for your mind's eye, and let those thoughts be upon the narrow way, and the hlessedness of heaven, and the glory and power of Christ your S,viour. Thus will you be kept from unseemly risings and fallings, and steadied in an equable vay. Men in general will know nothing- of this; they witness not your private prayers, and they will confuse you with the multitude they fall in with. But your friends and aequaintanee will gain a light and a eomfort from your example; they will see your good works, and be led fo trace them fo their true secret source, the influeuees of the Holy Ghost sought and obtained by 1)rayer. Thus they will glorify your heavenly Fafler, and in imitation of you will seek Him; and He who seeth in secret, shall af length rewm'd you openly.