proper objects to seek. God wills to grant such petitions. Christ died to effect these objects.

But a wonderful discrepancy is here manifest; and the great question arises, With so much prayer, how is it there is so little success? Why is it? Do the promises fail? Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Far from it, brethren; the fault is in ourselves. We do not comply with the conditions of success in prayer. God prescribes the terms. These are enumerated in our text: I. A holy life" lifting up holy hands."

II. A charitable, forgiving spirit—" without wrath.” III. Faith-" without doubting."

I. A HOLY LIFE. Religion prescribes purity of lifeobedience to God. "Cease to do evil-learn to do well." "Let the sinner forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." These are preliminaries to acceptance. No progress can be made in religion without a compliance with its first principles. It would dishonor God to require, and ruin man to do less. Professors of religion often overlook— overleap all this. They so order matters that their religion and their lives stand at variance, or, at least, are quite distinct. The first runs along in its own channel: prayers reading-profession-church-going-zeal, it may be-devotionall earnestness and fidelity. The life is conducted on common maxims, and the man in his shop or on "'change” differs widely from him of the closet. He is exacting, unscrupulous-follows all prudent maxims-will be rich, or honored, or something else. He is at once pious and worldly. These men carry the spirit of their business to the closet, but not the spirit of devotion to their business. Prayer would sanctify their pursuits-worldliness chills their prayers. They put asunder what God has joined, and lift up unholy hands before the throne of grace.

We should live and pray for the same thing. We pray against the world, but live for it. We pray against pride

and ambition, but nurture them all the day long; against appetite, but pamper it; against temptation, but brave it. This is, in fact, an insult upon God, and acting as if we verily thought we could impose upon Him.

Many pray for, and live against their salvation. They call on God to sanctify, and then do whatever comes in their way to defile the Spirit's temple.

Parents pray, and beg ministers to pray, for the conversion of their children-weep, sigh, but do not restrain or train— leave all to God.

Christians choose for themselves and their children alliances in reference to worldly ends, and pray against the inevitable consequences of their choice. In doubtful questions, they decide on the side of indulgence, relying on grace.

We should observe what effect our ways have on our prayers. The closet is often the true test of actions. It is a kind of judgment-seat, where portion after portion of our history is tried, in anticipation of the final day.

But if we would pray acceptably, it is indispensable that we cultivate,

Christians who

II. A CHARITABLE, FORGIVING SPIRIT. are really in earnest soon conform their habits to God's word, and pass on to the inner warfare with sinful appetites and tendencies, which constitutes their probation. Their great work is hidden from men, but seen of God. Forgiveness is an express condition of acceptable prayer. We must forgive ALL, no matter how difficult the duty. God forbids us to pray on other terms. Bad tempers are the chief hinderances of prayer. Men of faultless lives, so far as attention to external duties is concerned, are often passionate, peevish, impatient. They grieve the Spirit. They are censorious, uncharitable. Many become the scourge and curse of the circle where they move, and mar human happiness more than the robber upon the highway. Their spirit is bitter. They see the worst of all actions and words. They go to

God with this spirit, and, though rebuked nowhere else, get their rebuke then. He sends them away empty. All strong excitements-all party strife—all wrath-suspicion—denunciation, shut the soul from the throne of grace. The reforms -the moral, social, and political agitations of the day, are full of evil. Good men, convinced themselves, grow impatient, The party, the Church is roused, and then God's Spirit is grieved, and the spirit of prayer lost.

angry, denunciatory toward their brethren.

Religious controversies, though sometimes unavoidable, are always evil, chiefly because they provoke a spirit antagonistic to charity. None but men of deep piety should meddle with them. They ought to fast and pray for a subdued spirit for love, patience, meekness, charity. They should choose the softest words-avoid personalities sectarianism -selfishness. And the whole. Church should pray not to be led into temptation. After all, in controversies of this nature, it is hardly possible to avoid doing harm. It is an unspeakable evil to awaken uncharitable, bitter feelings in the Christian community. Bad every way, socially, morally, politically, it is most fearful in that it chills devotion and stays God's mercies. Preaching becomes vain, or nearly so. The prayer-meeting is comfortless. Men come out of their closets hanging their heads-their hearts heavy. No fire consumes the sacrifice. The Church would be a great loser, even should she promote orthodoxy at the expense of charity.

III. FAITH. I shall dwell little upon this condition of successful prayer, not because it is unimportant, but because it is not difficult when the other terms are satisfied. The struggle so often had in trying to overcome doubt and to believe, more commonly arises from our unfaithfulness—from our attempt to overleap a barrier, which waits to be removed, rather than from any distrust of God's mercy or promises. The man who has used diligence to conform his life and heart to the will of Christ, comes up to the throne of grace

boldly-none more conscious of demerit, and shortcomings, and dependence on grace, and yet none so well prepared to cast his helpless soul on God. Conscious of having done nothing to merit the divine favor, he yet has the feeling of one who has tried to obey-who has respected the conditions who has done what he could. He has acknowledged God's right to govern. He has "held forth the word of life." He has traveled up to the cross in the prescribed pathway. He is found where God bids him be found, and he is able to trust the Lord, whom he has acknowledged-feared-obeyed -loved. He is in a position to plead the promises to look to the "Lamb of God;” now that he is at the end of his own resources, he may cast himself on the Helper. He can not doubt the faithfulness of him whom he has already trusted so far as to submit all to his will. His His prayers will surely be answered. He may ask for health, or prosperity, or joy, without direct success, because, through ignorance, he may ask amiss. These may not be the blessings he most needs. But for pardon, and grace, and strength, and light, and life, he can not ask in vain. These God always delights to bestow on all who rightly seek them. All blessings upon the Church and on men's souls he is ready to bestow in answer to prayer, if their sins do not stay his liberality.

I will add, that it is of the very essence of faith that we rightly apprehend the true import of prayer. It is not a mere exercise by which we are disciplined and grow more pious-a routine through which, if we proceed seriously and earnestly, all is done. It is an application to God, in virtue of Christ's merits, by which we obtain what would be withholden if we did not pray. As such, we must regard it more as a means an instrument, than as a duty. We should consider our wants, and then, "by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let them be known unto God," who is ready to do for us "more than we can ask or think." In prayer, as in all God's dealings with us, does it hold true,

according to thy faith be it unto thee." Ask for great things, "nothing doubting," and great things will be yours. God is most honored when we expect the greatest gifts. Christ is magnified when, in the contemplation and the pleading of his infinite merits, we quite forget our own unworthiness, and confidently look for the divinest bounty. We are more likely, therefore, to obtain great things than small, when God is the giver and Christ our plea. Covet the best gifts. Cherish large views and generous hopes. Jesus is yours, and all things in heaven and on earth are his. Is it incredible that he who put away sin by one offering of himself on the cross, should willingly forgive your sins? that he, who gave his blood to purge away iniquity, should wash out all the stains of his children? Call upon his name

for gifts worthy of a great King to bestow. Oh, we are mean in our views-" we have not because we ask not," or "because we ask amiss." We are not straitened in Jesus, but in our own bowels. Put forth great prayers. Indulge in noble, cheering anticipations. Remember it is to God's storehouse you are come-that Christ's infinite merits are your plea and ground of acceptance. "Lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting."

XXIV.

THE DANGER OF DEFERRING THE WORK OF OUR SALVA

TION.

Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.-Acтs, xxiv., 25.

THIS text announces the result of an interview, or, more properly, perhaps, of several interviews, between the Roman governor of Judea and the apostle Paul. It exhibits at once the power of the Gospel over the human mind, and its in