and righteousness in the earth : for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” (Jer. ix. 24.)

God easily could, and justly might have punished the sin of man by the destruction of the whole human race. Yet he did not : and consequently the salvation of men through Christ's death is a sign to every one of us that God delightetb not in the death of a sinner, but rather that the wicked should repent and live. God puts off his anger, and clothes himself with pity. In his providence, and in his grand dispensation of grace, we see that “ mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” He throws aside the thunderbolts of vengeance, and holds out the sceptre of his love.

If we consider single acts and proofs of the power and mercy of God, we shall be led to the same view of these two attributes as united in the divine character. Two of the most difficult things to perform are, to bumble the proud, and to heal the broken-hearted. Man has no power sufficient for this : neither, for the most part, have persons a sufficient degree of pity to think of attempting the task. But with God these acts are not only possible, but easy. He has power and pity equal to them. He can melt the heart of the proudest by a love that passeth knowledge: and he can pour such balm of consolation into the bleeding wounds of his afflicted people as shall effectually heal them : leaving them, it is true, of a meek and subdued spirit; but still, in the best sense of the word, making them sound-hearted.

On this view of the attributes of our God and Saviour, we ground our earnest prayers to him for grace. We ask for a needful “ measure” of that grace. To his own blessed Son, as St. John expressly records, “ God gave not the Spirit by measure.” (John iii. 34.) On him the Spirit of God was poured forth immeasurably. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him and within him; yea, essentially united to him: for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one. But we, finite creatures, receive only a portion of the Spirit: we receive it from day to day, not all at once : we receive it as we need it, and as we pray for it. We are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think : but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Rom. xii. 3.) To one are given five talents ; to another, two; to another, one. All are to use the grace they have, and ask for more : to him who thus hath, shall more be given, and he shall have abundance. Though grace be imparted to us only in measure, yet it is in a sufficient measure ; and when we improve the grace bestowed on us with faithfulness and diligence, more will continually be vouchsafed to us ; even grace for grace.

The petition here is two-fold.

1. First, we implore grace to run in the way of God's commandments. Obedience is, in Scripture, often compared to going in a way. Sometimes we are said to walk, at other times to run, in this way. Running is the most devoted kind of obedience : and it denotes principally these four things :

Freedom of spirit: or it may be called, largeness of heart. So the Psalmist expresses himself: (Psalm cxix. 32.) “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.'

Untiring speed : so the prophet expresses himself. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles : they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah xl. 31.)

Patience : therefore St. Paul thus exhorts the Hebrews : “ Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Heb. xii. 1.)

Keeping the prize in view. The same apostle declares that he bimself did so: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. iji. 14.).

2. Secondly, we ask for the free reward of grace. This is the meaning of those two clauses, which in effect comprise but one great whole : that we may “ obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure.” The promise to those who repent of their sins, trust in Christ alone for pardon, and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, is, that they shall obtain an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. “ Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Rom. vi. 22.)

The sum of our prayer, therefore, is this :-tbat He who hath stretched forth bis almighty arm to rescue us from death, and who so pitied us, as to give his own dear Son to die for our salvation, would further manifest his power and compassion, by fully imparting to us the blessings of a complete redemption : that in the view of our weakness he would daily vouchsafe grace sufficient for us : that he would hold up our goings in his ways; and finally that he would bestow on us that crown of life, which he hath promised to them that love him. All which we ask, through the prevailing mediation of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

The humility and fervency of spirit manifested in the language of this Collect, are deeply affecting. Having in the first part presented a self-renouncing appeal to the Most High, we follow up that address by the earnest and enlarged petitions of a broken and contrite heart. The whole Collect richly exhibits what it is to have the Spirit of grace and supplications poured out upon our souls.

1. Consider first, the self-renouncing appeal which we address to the Most High.

In coming before the Lord, we do not presume to plead either our readiness to pray, or our earnestness in prayer, or our worthiness to ask any thing at his hands. So far from such a strain of self-confidence, we acknowledge that in every one of these particulars we are utterly deficient. As it regards readiness to pray, when do we manifest such a spirit ? Are we not in this blessed duty more remiss, more backward, and more slow, than in almost any thing? Do we not often forget the work of prayer; or when attempting to pray, forget what it is we mean to ask ?' Are not some persons content to live many a day, yea many a month, without offering up a single petition at the throne of grace? In our difficulties and distresses, do we not often try every scheme of relief first; and not, till every other plan fails, think of spreading our troubles in prayer before the Lord ?-

Then instead of earnestness in prayer, do we not often find that we are very cold, formal, and dull in our devotions? Our desires are confined to a few blessings, and small ones, when we might have many and great ones : we stop short, when we ought to continue instant in prayer. We are too much like Abraham ceasing to plead with God: (Gen. xviii.) we limit ourselves; it is not God that limits us. Or, like the king of Israel attending Elisha on his death-bed (2 Kings xiji. 14-19.), who with the arrows "smote thrice and stayed ;” so might God be wroth with us, and say, “ Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times.”— Or can we plead our worthiness to pray? What ground have we for boasting ? What do we deserve ? Dare we, like the Pharisee, stand and say within ourselves, “ God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are !”-Surely not: for even if we are, as the Pharisee boasted that he was, a little better in outward character than others, yet we ought to feel that before God who trieth the hearts, we are “ wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked ; ” full of blindness, ignorance, and sin.

What we do plead, is, God's readiness to hear, his largeness in answering, and the unchangeable perfections of his nature. Thou “ art always more ready to hear, than we to pray.” God is beforehand with us. He devises a plan of mercy, before man thinks of it. He puts himself in the way to be found of them that sought him not. It is he who first says, “ Seek ye my face ; ” while our hearts too often tardily reply, “ Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” He invites himself, before we invite him. “ Behold,” he says, “I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and be with me.” (Rev. iii. 20.) In the prophecy of Isaiah, Ixv. 24. is this remarkable promise, “ Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” To the prophet Daniel also these encouraging declarations were made, shewing the readiness of God to hear his servants. " At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee, for thou art greatly beloved." (ix. 23.) And again, “ From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” (X. 12.)—Then, as to the largeness of God's answers to prayer, in giving “more than either we desire or deserve," let us remember David's grateful acknowledgment, “ Thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of men, O Lord God ?” (2 Sam. vij. 19.) Or the answer to Solomon, when he asked for wisdom ; “ I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour.” (1 Kings iii. 13.) So that, as St. James declares, God “ giveth liberally unto all men, and upbraideth not :” (i. 5.) yea, “ he giveth more grace.” (iv. 6.) Above all, remembering God's covenant of mercy in Christ, let us have this truth deeply engraven on our hearts, that " where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Here chiefly do we behold God's bounty in giving more than we deserve.-But in our plea, we look yet further, even to the very nature of God, and his unchangeable perfections. He is almighty; “ his own arm brought salvation unto him :" he is everlasting, and so is his love: “ I have loved thee with an everlasting love." He is always” ready : the gates of heaven are open continually : “ they shall not be shut day nor night.” His covenant of mercy is unchangeable: “I am the Lord,” he says, “ I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi iii. 6.) “ Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” (Isaiah xl. 28.)

Such is the self-renouncing appeal which we address to God. We humble ourselves : we exalt and adore Him. He might justly com. plain of us, in those words of old, “ But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.” (Isa. xliii. 22.) Still we return to our humble entreaties, pleading that he is “ always inore ready to hear, than we to pray, and wont to give more than either we desire, or deserve.” *

2. Hence, secondly, we put up earnest and enlarged petitions at the throne of grace.

“ Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy.” Having presented ourselves before One who gives royally, we cannot honour him more, than by asking largely. To assist our timid, narrow, grovelling hearts, we should accustom ourselves to the use of such passages of Scripture, as express the fullest prayers, or the richest promises. “ Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness : let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together.” (Isaiah xlv. 8.) “ Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 1xxxi. 10.) “Now unto him that is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end.”—These, and similar passages we should treasure up in our memories, that we may be ready to ask largely, according to the riches of God's mercy.

We must however, beware of a habit of merely repeating Scripture language, lest our prayers should by degrees sink into unmeaning generalities. We should aim at making our petitions particular ; fully adapted and appropriate to our wants. This also we learn from the Collect before us : for in the next clause we are led to implore, with peculiar earnestness, God's forgiving mercy. Consider minutely the expressions used.

“Forgiving us those things, whereof our conscience is afraid.” This is the language of a tender heart, feeling distress, pain, shame, and fear at the recollection of sin. Such a heart, if not animated by promises, and assisted in prayer, might be tempted to unbelief ; and consequently might stand far off from God, instead of drawing nigh to him. The 'conscience is afraid.' What a just picture of a soul troubled and burdened on account of sin !

Various instances of the power of conscience are given us in Scripture. The conscience of Cain was terrified ; so was that of Esau, and that of Judas : but they were not moved to godly repentance. Joseph's brethren, when they found themselves surrounded with difficulties in Egypt from which they could not escape, were conscience

stricken for the sin they had committed twenty years before. « We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us and we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us.” (Genesis xlii. 21.) But whether their penitence on this occasion was of a godly sort, we are not informed. David's repentance was genuine, when he confessed before the prophet Nathan, « I have sinned against the Lord : ” and Nathan was com. missioned to answer him with those comforting words, “ The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die:” thus ' forgiving bim those things whereof his conscience was afraid.' The conscience of Peter was troubled, when Christ turned and looked upon him, so that he went out and wept bitterly : he also was forgiven. Sometimes the grief of a godly man is not for his own sins only, but also for those of others, even of a whole nation : thus the conscience of Daniel was troubled, and the conscience of Ezra, for their own sins and those of all Israel. Not unfrequently a time of affliction causes the remembrance of sin to be peculiarly bitter : thus the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings xvii. 18.) on the death of her son, cries out to Elijah, “ O thou man of God, art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance ?” And the Psalmist pathetically describes the overwhelming terrors that fell upon his conscience, saying, “ For innumerable evils have com passed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of my head ; therefore my heart faileth me.” (Psalm xl. 12.)

When conscience is thus made to tremble, where shall we find hope and comfort, but in the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ? He is our only refuge: he hath power to forgive sins. " Come unto me,” is his gracious cominand. When we obey him, trust him, and humbly pray to him, he is ever ready to say to us, “ Thy sins be forgiven thee: thy faith hath saved thee : go in peace.”

Finally we add a petition for those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the mediation of Christ.' What those good things' are, we do not particularly specify, leaving it with God to judge what is best for us. He promises on behalf of his favoured city, “ Behold I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear of all the good that I do unto them : and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.” (Jeremiah xxxiii. 6, 9.) Let us trust his infinite wisdom to determine wbat kind of good he will allot to us. Pardoned sinners may well be contented, with even the smallest token of favour. “ Lord, I am not worthy," should be ever engraven on our hearts. This humble thought will sweeten the bitterest trial, and turn it into a blessing : while at the same time, remembering that each mercy has been purchased for us at the price of the Redeemer's blood, we shall be daily constrained to renew our exclamations of praise and say, “ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakáble gift."