earth. Its sweet influence cannot be resisted

nor defeated, in any heart that has ever found relief in prayer, or that yet feels the necessity of prayer. The glory of the Saviour's intercession will change that heart into more of the image of His heart, than any other motive which can be employed for the revival, or the confirmation, of a devotional spirit.

In asserting this, thus strongly, nothing is farther from my design than to convey any idea of a charm, an impulse, or an influence, which would make devotion as natural and

easy, as it is essential. I know of no spell on earth, or from heaven, which could keep up the spirit of prayer, apart from "watching unto prayer." Whoever will not take time, and heed, and care, in order to maintain devotional habits, will find no substitute for them, in sentimental impulses, or in ecstatic reveries. Prayer is a sober and solemn duty, as well as

a sublime privilege; and, therefore, the duty must be performed, if the privilege would be enjoyed.

The glory of the Saviour's intercession in heaven, can, however, confirm the habit, and prolong the spirit of prayer. You may have said to yourself, without much effect,

"Cold mountains and the midnight air

Witness'd the fervour of His prayer."

You may only have been afraid or ashamed when you thought of Him, as "rising a great while before day," or as "continuing all night alone," in prayer. You may only have felt reproved when you remembered how He "prayed more earnestly," as his agony in Gethsemane increased. Thus, whilst beholding all this in the glass of the Saviour's history, your heart may have only shrunk back from the sight, alarmed or humbled: not unwilling to pray; but unable to see 'how such

H

prayer could be imitated, the time of it was so long, and the intensity so great, and the solitude so awful! And His special prayers are only examples for special emergencies: not specimens of daily or ordinary devotion. Accordingly, such long and lonely seasons of prayer, were not frequent even in His close walk and communion with God. It was only in His agony, that he kneeled down "three times" in one night. It was only just before or after taking great steps in His public mission and ministry, that he spent whole nights alone in prayer. The tenor of His devotional habits, from day to day, presented nothing to astonish or discourage his disciples. Accordingly, the Evangelists relate only His extraordinary supplications, and never intimate that there was any thing inimitable or impracticable in his daily devotions.

These distinctions are too seldom drawn,

when the Saviour is held up as an example of prayer; and thus both the charm and the check of his example are sadly defeated: for we see, although we do not like to say it, that the remarkable specimens of His devotion are impracticable rules, under ordinary circumstances. Accordingly, they are only complimented or admired: that is all,-except when we can do nothing but pray.

You have not less need to contemplate the glory of the Saviour's intercession in heaven, because you have now clearer ideas of his example on earth. Indeed, if the latter commend itself to your understanding and heart more than you expected it ever could do; and if you now see more in it than you did before, you may well conclude that the latter is worth studying, and likely to be still more useful.

Do not withdraw your attention, nor doubt his, because you remember all the texts which

prove and illustrate the Intercession of Christ.. I have, of course, nothing to tell you, but just what they contain: or rather, only what I see in them; which is far less than their full import. It will, however, be their true import, so far as it goes; if an "unveiled face" be any security against error or fancy. I have bared my face to the utmost, as well as bowed my knees, before "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He would strengthen me with might by his Spirit, in the inner man, and thus enable me to comprehend something of the breadth and length, the height and depth of the love of Christ," as the ever-living, neverwearying Intercessor before the throne! I have implored for this grace, not so much in order that I may be able to write on the subject, as that the Interceding Love of Christ constrain me to abide in the secret place

may

of the Most High."