comfort; whatever direction, provision, or protection, you need concerning your body, your calling, your name, your estate, or your friends; whatever your desires be, in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known unto God. Yet in asking for temporal blessings, it will ever become us not to seek great things for ourselves, (Jer. xlv. 5;) and to say with our Saviour, Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. The prayer of Agur is a suitable prayer for us, (Prov. xxx. 7—9.) Remove from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest 1 be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. Do we not deprive ourselves of many temporal comforts by not bringing our necessities of this kind before God? Many of the examples of prayer which we have in the Scriptures, are for temporal blessings. Only remember to ask for them in submission to the will of God, and the better to enable you to serve him.

RELATIVE DUTIES should ever occupy a place in our prayers. As ministers, that we may be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, (1 Cor. iv. 1), by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, (2 Cor. iv. 2,) making full proof of our ministry, rightly dividing the word of truth, (2 Tim. ii. 15,) and in all things shewing a pattern of good works. As hearers and people, that we may esteem those that labour among us, and are over us in the Lord, very highly in love for their work's sake: (1 Thess. v. 12, 13), that we may receive the truth in the love of it, and be saved.

As husbands, that you may love your wives, even as

Christ also loved the Church; (Eph. v. 25,) giving honour unto them as the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life. 1 Peter iii. 7.

As wives, that you may submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord, (Eph. v. 22,) having the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. 1 Pet. iii. 1, 4.

As parents, to bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, (Eph. vi. 4), teaching the word of God diligently unto them; (Deut. vi. 7.) chastening thy son while there is hope. Prov. xix. 18.

As children, to honour your father and mother, (Exod. xx. 12,) obeying your parents well in all things. Col. iii. 20.

As masters, giving unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven. Col. iv. 1.

As servants, that ye may be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Eph. vi. 5, 6.

As magistrates, remembering, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 2 Sam. xxiii. 3.

As subjects, praying for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, (1 Tim. ii. 1, 3,) rendering to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, (Rom. xiii. 7,) being subject to principalities and powers, obeying magistrates, and being ready to every good work. Titus iii. 1.

This may be considered as comprehending the general course of petition, in private, morning and evening. There are, however, occasional and special

seasons when we need the help of God, and should obtain it by more than ordinary diligence in prayer.

Have you by any sermon you have heard, or in any other way, been led to feel that you are yet unconverted?-give a stated time to pray for conversion. Have you backslidden from God?-give more time than ordinary to ask of God to heal and restore you: remember from whence thou art fallen; repent, and do the first works. Are all your Christian graces drooping, languishing, and ready to die!-seek, in a special season of prayer, that grace of God, which can alone quicken and restore them to primitive vigour and beauty. Are you about to receive the Lord's supper? prepare for it by retirement, meditation, self-examination, and much prayer. Are you in any respect changing your circumstances or situation, or about to undertake any important work? here is a call on you to seek wisdom of God. Remember the example which our Lord has left us. Before he chose his twelve Apostles, he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke vi. 12. Should you be in great distress either of body or mind, imitate also his example; retire from the world as he did to the garden of Gethsemane, to pour out the heart in secret prayer. Express your wants to God in the same simple manner that Jacob did in his distress. Genesis xxxii. 9, 12.

In short, new and peculiar circumstances require us, if we would escape temptation, danger, and sin, to be then more instant in seeking aid of God. And we may appeal to the experience of Christians, that when we have done so, all has gone on well; difficulties have been removed, or they have been carried

comfortably through them; the grace of God has been magnified in their weakness.

Our petitions should be enforced by such arguments as we can use. Of this part of prayer called PLEADING, we have perpetual examples in the word of God. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, exemplifies its importance, and shews that the most powerful pleas we can urge, are to be drawn from the attributes and perfections of God. Humble, holy, and earnest pleading with our God, tends to make the desire more fervent, and to strengthen our faith. Observe how Moses pleads, (Exod. xxxii. 11-13;) how Joshua intreats, (Josh. vii. 8, 9;) how Jehosaphat lays the whole case before God. 2 Chron. xx. 6-12.

But let not our prayers be selfish, or confined to our own wants; Christians are fellow-members of one body, all the members of which should ever care for each other. Christians are the salt of the earth, and should by their intercessions procure its safety and happiness. We proceed, then, to consider another part of our prayers

III. INTERCESSION.

The right position of a Christian is to be like his Lord, an intercessor for the world. Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Paul; what intercessors they were!

The CHURCH OF CHRIST, in general, throughout the world, should have the first place in our intercessions. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, (Psalm cxxii. 6,) that grace may be with all them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, (Eph. vi. 24,) that all

that believe in him may stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel. Phil. i. 27.

We should also specially pray for the blessing of God on that particular branch of the Church of Christ to which we individually belong. As members of the Church of England, let us ask "that it may please God to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of his word, and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and show it accordingly.” The ministers under whom you are instructed have a particular claim to your prayers, that they may be able ministers of the New Testament. Dr. Owen remarks on this subject, "The prayers of the meanest saints may be useful to the greatest apostle, both with respect to their persons and the discharge of their office. Hence it was usual with the apostle to desire the prayers of the churches to whom he wrote. Heb. xiii. 18; 2 Cor. i. 11; Ephes. vi. 19; Col. iv. 3; 2 Thess. iii. 1. For in mutual prayer for each other consists one principal part of the communion of saints, wherein they are helpful to one another in all times, places, and conditions. It is the especial duty of the church to pray for them who are eminently useful in the work of the ministry."

The increase of faithful ministers generally should be constantly insisted on; pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his vineyard, that he would give the word, that great may be the company of preachers. Psalm lxviii. 11.

The ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST should be another topic to be much brought forward. -We should pray for the conversion of THE JEWS,