but we feel that we are prompted so to do by love. And when we remember that, as St. John has told us, "God is love," (1 John 4. 8,) we cannot but look with wonder, thankfulness, and praise, to this provision for our being conformed to his likeness, that the sum of all our duty lies in these two things, to love God with all our hearts, and to love our brethren as ourselves.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep thy laws. Grant that we may honour all to whom honour is due. Grant that we may hate no one, but rather love every one. Grant that we may commit no manner of adultery, in body, or heart, or soul. Grant that we may wrong no man in any thing; but may as far as in us lies do good unto all men. Grant that we may always speak the truth, to thy honour and to the advantage of each other. And grant that being contented with such things as we have, we may never so much as desire that which is not ours. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech Thee.

SERMON V.

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THE LORD'S PRAYER..

MATTHEW 6. 9.

After this manner therefore pray ye." THE chief part of the instruction given in our Church Catechism is communicated by means of the answers. Children are

taught to say by rote that which it is good for them to know and understand. They are made to repeat with their mouths that which they ought to cherish in their hearts. But on introducing the subject of prayer, the person who puts the question is made to express these two important truths, that we cannot serve God without his help, and that in order to have his help we are bound to pray for it, "My good child, know this, that you are not able to do these things of yourself, nor to walk in the commandments of God and to serve Him, without his special grace;" this is the

first great truth here taught; "which you must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer;" this is the second; "let me hear therefore if you can say the Lord's Prayer.”

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"Without me," said our blessed Lord to his disciples, "ye can do nothing." (John 15. 5.) "It is God," thus St. Paul writes to the Philippians, "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. 2. 13.) This proves our inability to do these things of ourselves. Ask, and it shall be given you," is the promise of Christ, expressly spoken of prayer to God. (Matt. 7. 7.) And again, "if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (ver. 11.) This shews the necessity and advantage of learning to call on God for help, at all times, by diligent prayer. But to what purpose have we learnt these lessons from our infancy, if we are not yet apt to pray? And how can it come to pass, that so many do not serve God, nor walk in his commandments, if it be not for want of

his special grace, and if it be not that they have it not because they pray not for it?

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To pray is to ask of God, from the heart; it is to ask of God those blessings which we require at his hands. In order to pray effectually, it is not enough that we repeat good prayers with the lips; it is further needful, that we should really desire very earnestly to have the things we ask for. This alone is to pray heartily. But besides this, we must also pray very frequently. For so the apostle writes to the Romans, (12. 12,) " Continuing instant in prayer;" and again to the Thessalonians, (I. 5. 17,)" Pray without ceasing." We must also approach with reverence and godly fear, when we make known our requests unto God, remembering how unworthy we are to draw nigh in prayer at all to One so great and good as He. But above all we must pray with faith; according to these express words of our Saviour, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11. 24.) Let us

not then doubt of success.

Let us not

stagger at the difficulty of understanding, how God can be moved in his dealings by the supplications of his creatures. It is enough for us to know, that if we ask according to his will, we shall receive according to his promise. It is enough for us to be informed, that his providence, or oversight and overruling of our affairs, is so particular, and full, and perfect, as that He maketh" all things work together for good to them that love God." (Rom. 8. 28.)

Yes, love it is that solves all these difficulties; even as we have found already, in explaining the commandments, that love makes them easy to understand and pleasant to fulfil. So love will make us glad to pray to God, and able to pray with faith that He will give, and confident that He will withhold from them that love Him nothing which is really good for them to have. And this might have been a reason for our Lord's teaching us to begin this prayer, which we call his, with saying, "Our Father;" namely, that we might draw nigh with the words of love.