word, are not all the vast resources of the universe at his disposal? Is not even the creative power in him? He is infinite in power, and infinite in goodness. Not a promise that he ever made has failed. For six thousand years he has been the same; the immutable, the holy, just and good. How wicked then, that we should doubt or distrust his promise. He is the same yesterday, to-day and forever; the inflexible, the immutable, and the Infinite One. Holy and revered is his name; worthy to be admired, to be held in everlasting remembrance, and adored by all his intelligent creatures. The angels fall before him, and worship Him who sits on the throne, and adore the Lamb! We ought to be unspeakably happy, that provision is made for us through the mediation of our Lord the Christ, to come to the Father. But we must remember that we can not come in our own name, nor in any other name, than the name of our Lord the Anointed. "No man," says he, "comes to the Father, but by me." Let us not forget this; but come through Him whom God has lifted up to draw all men to him. There is no other name than his by which any human being can be saved. Let us come then, in his name, and through him, to the Father, and live forever and ever.

Prayer should be studied carefully, most profoundly considered, and our address to the Father well ordered. We greatly need to be taught how to pray. It is astonishing that any matter of so much importance should receive so little attention as this very subject does. There is nothing among us more unaccountable than the prayers and thanksgiving, evincing that there has been no preparation of mind or heart for the solemn performance, and that so little is well or

dered. A brotner is called upon to pray, it may be in the public assembly and on the Lord's day. He commences giving thanks for existence, preservation, food, raiment, friends, brethren, peace, a land of liberty, prosperity, etc., etc.; and one begins to think there will not be a petition in it; but, it may be, that toward the close some favor may be asked. A brother is called on to give thanks for the loaf at the Lord's table. He commences praying, and continues praying, till he has made quite a long prayer, and closes without giving thanks for the loaf at all. Now, why should a brother called on for prayer make it nearly all thanksgiving; and, when called on for thanksgiving, make it nearly all prayer? What reason can there be for this? Certainly, it has no foundation in reason.

Then, we should be careful about running into circumlocutory phrases and sentences, instead of the directness and simplicity of Jesus. It is certainly more direct to say, "We thank thee," than to say, "We desire to thank thee." It is surely more direct and fitting to say, "We thank thee for this loaf," than to say, "We desire to thank thee that we are permitted to come round the Lord's table." A few words of thanksgiving in the beginning of a prayer are quite proper. But in a short space of time, the words of prayer should express our dependence, our wants and necessities, and the divine assistance should be entreated. At the close of thanksgiving at the Lord's table, or when about to partake of a common meal, a short petition or two invoking divine aid is in place. But the main matter is thanksgiving, and that should be the burden.

Let us live, then, under the continual impression that "men ought always to pray and not to faint;" that it

is the Divine Will that men "pray everywhere;" that we should "pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore," and "in everything give thanks." "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Come then, in childlike confidence, to our blessed and glorious Father; not as a formality, nor merely as a duty, but because you need his Almighty Arm to protect and sustain you, to guard and shield you in the midst of the evils of the world, and finally to save you. Our glorious Father can see dangers that we can not see, and avert calamities that we have no power to stay. He is our everlasting trust, our strong hold, the rock of our defense. In the name then of our Lord Jesus the Christ, our only Savior, let us come to our Father, who always hears us and who is faithful to keep that which is committed to his hands; who will be with us in every trial, in all our sufferings, and in crossing the cold river, where he will receive us to himself to be with him forever and ever. Let us join with all the ransomed of our God and the heavenly hosts in ascribing the blessing, the glory and the honor to him, through our Lord Jesus the Christ, forever and ever.

17

SERMON No. IX.

THEME.-POSITIVE DIVINE LAW.

WE have what has been designated positive divine law. On the other hand, we have what is called moral law. We have also positive divine institutions, positive appointments and positive commandments. We have also moral institutions, moral appointments and moral commandments. In positive law there are positive institutions, positive requirements or commandments. Moral law relates to that which is right in itself, always was right, and requires things to be done because they are right. The things it requires can be seen to be right in the reason and fitness of things, and will be readily admitted to be right-not because any authority requires them, but because they can be seen to be right in the nature of things. It always was right to speak the truth, and wrong to speak a lie; and moral law requires the former, because it is right, and forbids the latter, because it is wrong. The same is true of all moral requirements. They are all required because they are right.

But positive divine law is of a higher order than this. It has the force to make that right which is not right in itself, and is the highest test of respect for divine authority known to man. It is also the greatest trial of faith ever applied to man. It is intended to penetrate down into the heart, and try the heart, the piety, the devotion to God. The very acts that some men