souls to the foot of his throne, the voice of God will whisper "peace." In every difficulty, in every danger, in every trial, perplexity, and trouble, prayer will remove our doubts, strengthen our resolutions, calm our fears, and banish our inquietudes.

power

There is one subject of prayer which can never be exhausted, never be "out of season,”the grace of God, and the powerful influence of his Holy Spirit. By this, if we "ask in faith,” we shall "daily be renewed ;" and, "strong in the of his might, "be enabled to go on unto perfection." Prayer will thus become both a cause and an effect. It will strengthen the powers of the spirit of God on our hearts; whilst the spirit of God will continually animate our souls to more fervent and effectual prayer. When prayer is produced by this disposition, its effects are universal. It wakes with us in the morning, and, calmed by this pious exercise, when night returns, we can "lay lay us down in peace, and take our rest." Its salutary influence attends us in our daily employments, and makes every labour light. Communion with God by prayer, purifies and exalts the soul, it invigorates every action, sanctifies and animates every pursuit, lessens every difficulty, and smooths every obstacle. It cheers the gloom of affliction, and brightens the smile of prosperity. It enlivens the cheerfulness of youth, supports the toils of manhood,

and comforts the weariness of declining age. It gives a double zest to the enjoyment of health, and softens the anguish of disease. It soothes

the bed of agony, and leads us through the dark valley of the shadow of death, to the bosom of that Saviour, by whose merits alone we are admitted to the presence of our Father and our God.

In conclusion, I would beseech you to mark, how full of consolation and encouragement are those few comprehensive, prophetic words of the psalmist which I have chosen for the subject of our present meditation,-"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." Yes! prophetic, as well as comprehensive; consolatory, as well as encouraging; for not one“jot, not one tittle" of the Word of God shall fail,—he hath spoken, and shall he not make it good? "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him." And the verse under consideration clearly shews that all, without exception, who feel their utter helplessness,—who know that there is, indeed, no spiritual "health in them,”—all who firmly believe that there is one alone "mighty to save," shall "come unto him;" they shall "pour out their hearts before him," and "he shall be their refuge;" he will not hide his face from them, but "when they cry unto him, he heareth them."

Thus encouraged, let us then, at all times, and in all places, commend ourselves to our "great high priest, Jesus the Son of God, who is passed into the heavens, and who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities; and let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need."

SERMON IX.

GOD'S PARDONING MERCY EXEMPLIFIED IN THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

Luke xv. 32.—“ It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

IN the parable, of which the text is a part, an affectionate father is represented as having two sons of very different characters and dispositions. The one, free, indeed, from prevailing vices, yet not gifted with a kind and affectionate heart; the other, who is the principal figure in the parable, thoughtless, licentious, and unruly, addicted to sensual pleasures, and impatient of parental control. He, accordingly, forms a resolution of becoming his own master, and demands before any reasonable time, his portion of the family property. The indulgent father reluctantly, we may suppose, complies with the request

of his imprudent son. The rash youth, full of the deceitful hope of unrestrained enjoyment, immediately forsakes his father's house, and goes into a far country, in quest of that happiness he was so eager to enjoy. The sad consequence of such a hasty and inconsiderate resolution is next described. Instead of liberty, he found slavery-slavery so abject and intolerable, that, in place of anticipated happiness, he felt pinching want and poverty: his delusive dream of pleasure vanished, and substantial misery succeeded. He was soon reduced to the necessity of hiring himself for a scanty subsistence, of the coarsest kind, to perform the meanest services to a tyrannical master. At length the bitter experience of such complicated distress, brought him to reflection, and awakened the resolve to cast himself on the mercy of his forsaken and offended father. Melancholy experience had taught him the vanity of all his former vicious pursuits :-and no less deceitful, we may be assured, will every one of a like disposition, find all the pleasures of sin. They promise much enjoyment at a distance, but end in misery and remorse. A life of vice is, at best, a state of bondage. The wicked are called in Scripture the servants of sin,—and beautiful are the words of Zophar, in the Book of Job, to this purpose: "Though wickedness be sweet in the sinner's mouth, yet it is the gall of asps within