ness to think only of what we see. For this end we must day by day retire from the presence of earthly things, and in faith hold communion with God. Retirement, meditation, devout reading and prayer, conducted by rule, and offered up in spirit and in truth, are essential to our gaining the habit of remembering Christ. We must not expect that the thoughts of Him will come unbidden to our souls, or that, without any endeavour on our part, they will present themselves spontaneously to our minds. We must not leave so important a matter at the mercy of such uncertainty. We must systematically remember our Saviour. We must habitually recognize His presence, and practise acts of faith to strengthen our convictions. We must be aware of our liability to have our thoughts engrossed with the passing events of our every-day life. We must therefore continually recal our minds to meditation on unseen things, and putting ourselves as in the presence of our Lord, address ourselves to Him in earnest prayer, and seek Him in every holy exercise of faith and love.

To offer up our prayers in secret to Him, is one way of bringing our thoughts to the remembrance of Him. To come day by day to the public service of the Church is also most helpful to the same end. To partake of the Holy Communion

I

will lead to the same result. And if we do really desire to remember our Blessed Saviour, I see not how we can wilfully or carelessly neglect these means of grace. This one word only would say, Who is there that often thinks of Christ, and yet neglects to pray? Who is there, that neglects, without cause, the opportunity of coming to the daily public prayer, that thinks of Christ as much as he would do, if he attended here? Who is there, that holds back from doing that which Christ has commanded to be done in remembrance of Him, and yet studies to think of Him day by day, and is waiting to receive Him, as a good servant waits for his master, in the spirit of watchfulness, faithfulness and love?

Oh! if we take pleasure in joining in the penitent's prayer, "Lord, remember me, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom," let us now, during our Saviour's absence, keep Him continually in mind. Let us think of Him as One that is near to us. Let us serve Him, as One whom we love. Let us study to please Him each day of our lives and all the day through. Let it be our meat and drink to do His will, that so at the last He may remember us for good, and give us a place amongst those whom He accounts His friends, and whom He loves, as we are told that He did Martha and her Sister and Lazarus.

SERMON XII.

ON THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER.

EPHESIANS vi. 18.

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

THIS and other passages of Holy Scripture, sufficiently indicate to us that prayer is a matter of highest moment, and ought to be regarded as a very serious business. It could never have been expected by the Apostle, who wrote such words as those of the text, that Christians would devote so little time to prayer as many in the present day do. He knew too well, that without earnest prayer the soul must languish, and the evil spirit get the mastery, ever to have anticipated that prayer would be otherwise considered than as one of the great occupations of life.

It may be profitable then to call to mind what our own ideas concerning praying are; and we may ascertain this with sufficient exactness for

our present object, by a reference to our ordinary practice.

I shall assume that all of you are in the habit of offering up your prayers to God-in whatever spirit you are accustomed to do this-and the end I shall aim at, is to lead you to compare the earnestness, and frequency, and faithfulness with which you are wont to pray, with such words as those of the text, where St. Paul calls upon us to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Now as no one can know for certainty how we pray, but God and our own selves-for I speak more especially of private prayer-I would wish each one of you to reflect honestly upon the manner in which it is his custom to make his prayers before God.

Consider then in the first place, what length of time you are in the habit of spending in the exercise of prayer. We know indeed our Lord's words, that we are not to expect to be heard for our much speaking; that our heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of, before we ask. But we know also our Lord's own practice of retirement for prayer, and of His having on one occasion that is mentioned-and more of course might have occurred-spent the whole night in prayer. His precepts also teach us always to pray and not to faint; implying the

necessity of our being unwearied and importunate in our prayers. And all this is in harmony with the practice and teaching of the Apostles, and with the conduct of all faithful Christians in every age of the Church. From the slightest glance at Holy Scripture, wherein we are taught to "continue instant in prayer," and "to pray without ceasing," we are convinced at once that the exercise of prayer was expected to occupy no inconsiderable portion of a Christian's time. How much time then, let me ask, do you devote to this important work? Take yesterday, or the day before, or any other day, and call to mind how much was spent in holding communion with God-in saying your prayers? Did you devote one hour out of the four and twenty to the discharge of this duty? Or is it so, that you think one hour a day too much to give to the direct worship of God? Considering our many necessities, and dangers and mercies, does this sacrifice of time appear to any one as more than is necessary for the daily exercise of prayer? I am aware, that in this age and this country, where the poor can but hardly obtain a living by the devotion of each hour of the day to their master's service, the period of time I have mentioned, may seem practically, more than they have at their command. And it should also be remembered in