prayers they may offer up for others. Nor need this be confined to particular names; though every one has those who claim their chiefest and first petitions to the Father of Mercies; yet, wherever there are things to be wished otherwise, either in body or mind, whether among the many or with the few, whenever we have cause to lament, to pity, or to blame, there we have food for intercessory prayer, there we are called upon to pray for our fellows. St. Paul is very forcible in his injunction for this kind of charity, which taking God as its witness, "hopeth all things, "believeth all things, endureth all things;" such prayer is the very seed of this genuine charity of the mind, for how could we pray for others, where we had not those good feelings towards them; where we were not willing to "hope that God would be merciful; where we were not ready to believe there was room for his aid effectually; where we were not prepared ourselves to bear and endure a while, till the time of change might come round. St. Paul orders, that "first of all "supplication should be made for Kings and "all in authority, that we might live godly " and peaceable lives." Against national calamities, therefore, we have the Apostle's instruction in the spirit to fly unto prayer.

Against national blindness we have the same Apostle's example for the same remedy, his prayer for Israel, that then persecuted the Church, was that they might be saved. Where the cords are drawn closer, for friends and kindred, O God, how gracious is it in thee, that having experienced the inefficiency of our own power, we are allowed to look to thy Spirit in its prevailing strength; and in the closest concern, in the business of our own hearts, sensible of weakness, sensible of unworthiness, who can find language to express the peace it gives to know, that the Spirit is promised whose name is the Comforter, and that he will guide us into all truth. But remember what must go hand in hand with these great notions-remember while in the body we are not yet made perfect, we are but creatures who must guard against the assaults of a corrupted nature with all watchfulness. When we pray for the Holy Spirit, it should remind us of what is so fully expressed in the epistle to the Corinthians, "Know ye not that "ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit "of God dwelleth in you, if any man defile "the temple of God him will God destroy, "for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." When such holiness, and human nature are put in contrast, who is there that

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does not smite upon the inward breast and cry, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Who is there that does not then feel the comfort of a promised help from the Spirit of Holiness, and a desire to pray to him for his heavenly establishing?

As this is our bounden duty, so with increased earnestness let it be our reasonable service; and the more we feel the vast obligation laid upon us, from the manner of our Saviour's death, by which he went away from us, so much the more may we find that his departure was expedient for us; that the justification purchased by his sufferings, and the sanctification flowing from his Spirit, may reclaim us from sin, establish us in righteousness, and in the multitude of the mercies of Him who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, bring us through the power of the Holy Ghost unto our God. Amen.

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SERMON V.

Isaiah 55-6.

SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL YE UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR."

THE blessings, which were to be conferred on Man by the promulgation of the Gospel, had been the subject of the Prophet's vision, and he endeavours, in strains of surpassing beauty and sublimity, to express the noble acts of the Lord, and to tell the people what things he hath done for his fallen guilty creatures. In the animated and figurative language of the Prophet, the Almighty lays the stones of his Church with fair colours, and her foundations with sapphires, he makes her windows of agates and her gates of carbuncles; and finally promises that all her children shall be taught of the Lord, and that great shall be the peace of her children.

It is not, however, to dazzle the eye, or to