cares and interests, and be more intirely absorbed in the momentous concerns of eternity, having "their hearts surely fixed there where true joys "are to be found." And they are encouraged in supplicating Divine grace for this purpose by contemplating past mercy. The "unspeakable gift" of Christ, through whose blood they have redemption; and the "exceeding great "and precious promises," that they who "wait "on the Lord shall renew their strength, shall "mount up with wings as eagles, shall run "without weariness, and walk without faint

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ing," lay a foundation for confidence in prayer that emboldens their hopes. The object which they propose to themselves is the uninterrupted and vigorous observance of God's testimonies, by walking in all His commandments and ordinances blameless. "Quicken me after thy loving-kindness, so shall I keep the testi"mony of thy mouth," is the daily prayer of the genuine believer in Jesus, the true member of our church.

The desires of the Christian are fully expressed in the collect now under our consideration; which contains-The character of those who therein pray for Divine grace-The request which they offer-And the twofold end which they propose by it; one of which relates to the present life, and the other to the life to come.

Those who in our collect pray for Divine grace, are described as God's faithful people; that is, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word "sos" and the English word "faithful" may be interpreted either in an activė or passive sense. They mean either believing, or worthy of being believed. The Greek word is translated in its active import, (John xx. 27,)

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where our Lord exhorts Thomas not to be "faithless" but believing; and in the same sense it seems to be used (Gal. iii. 9,) where it is said, that " they which be of faith are blessed with "faithful Abraham." (See also Acts x. 45. and xvi. 1. 2 Cor. vi. 15. 1 Tim. vi. 2. Tit. i. 6.) This term, in its active sense, is often used for the purpose of describing the Christian church in its aggregate capacity. (Eph. i. 1. Col. i. 2.) The epithet therefore belongs not only to those who are full of faith, and strong in the grace which is in Jesus Christ, but to all believers; for in every church there are those whose faith is in an infantile and feeble state.

But what is the faith of God's elect which thus characterizes the people of God? It is an act or habit of the awakened soul, by which it relies exclusively on the Lord Jesus for pardon and salvation. And as this is the leading peculiarity of all those who are taught of God, it is commonly made use of for the purpose of distinguishing the godly from all other persons.

But it may be asked, why is the prayer of our collect restricted to the use of God's "faithful "people?" Is not such a restriction uncharitable? Do not others need that quickening grace which is here implored, even more than they? It is readily admitted that, however needful Divine influence may be to the faithful people of God, those who are without faith want it still more and it is to be observed that we pray for their conversion to the faith of Christ, in various other parts of our diversified liturgy. But none besides God's faithful people feel their want of the blessing which we implore, or join in our petition for it. The prayer is appropriate to the lips of awakened persons. When

Elijah prayed for the widow's dead son, (1 Kings xvii. 21) his prayer differed widely from what it would have been, if the child had only been dangerously ill. We do not solicit in our collect the first communication of spiritual life; for that is supposed to be already operative in the souls of the supplicants. But we pray for its increase. It is not a resurrection from death to life, but a restoration from sickness to health which we implore. The hope of a plentiful crop implies that there is life in the tree from which it is expected.

We have frequently remarked in the course of these essays, that the prayers of our church are accommodated to the use of her members on the charitable supposition that they are, what they profess to be, real Christians. This is inferred from their baptism, their own declarations, and their prayers. A public liturgy must, in the nature of things, be built on this plan. But hints are frequently interspersed in our forms, calculated to produce self-examination and to detect hypocrisy. Indeed every form furnishes matter for inquiry with relation to ourselves. Are we numbered among "the faithful in Christ Jesus?" If we are, we feel the propriety and excellency of the prayer which is here prepared for our use. For while faithless persons are torpid and indifferent to the state of their own souls, we are distressed about the languor of our sensibilities and the unfruitfulness of our conduct. We mourn over ourselves, and are anxious for an increase of grace.

The request which God's faithful people make, or the nature of the blessing which is implored, next claims our attention. We pray that God would stir up our wills, and excite them to energy

The will or elective faculty of the natural man is turned from God and Godliness. It repudiates whatever is spiritually good and excellent; and, with a greater or less degree of impetuosity according to the temperament of the mind, bodily constitution, and outward circumstances and temptations, its propension is only and always evil. Its tendency is altogether from God towards sin and the world.

The grand effect of Divine grace on the soul of a sinner is the conversion of the will to God. Conversion is a new bias given to it, and is produced by "faith which worketh by love."

Faith in Jesus exhibits to our view the amiableness of the Divine character, the love of God to our souls, and the benefits which it hath conferred upon us, in such a light that an intirely new direction is given to the mind, its enmity to God is destroyed, and succeeded by adoring gratitude and supreme love. Sin is now rendered hateful, the world is outbidden in the price it offers for our affections, Satan's chains of delusion are burst asunder, and the heart is effectually gained for God.

But the spiritual life which is thus kindled by converting grace is, during our abode on earth, in an infantile, weak, and languid state, though progressively advancing towards maturity. It is still oppressed by disease, so that its functions are performed with pain and difficulty. The Christian here is like a patient afflicted with an asthma. His spiritual respiration is frequent, laborious, and short; especially when his soul, (which, alas often proves to be the case) is in a prone posture. Or he may compare himself to one who is oppressed by a lethargy. He can scarcely keep his eyes open; his mental powers

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are hardly awake. He feels the morbid drowsiness which preys upon him, and endeavours to oppose it; but the opposition is painful and arduous. His renewed will has just activity enough to discover its bias. His state is like that of the atmosphere when there is scarcely wind enough to keep the vane in a fixed direction; or rather when a whiffling breeze causes it to move inconstantly and without any steady. aim. His spiritual tendency is discoverable, and no more; like that of a floating body on the surface of a slowly moving stream, which is almost stagnant.

These remarks will help us to understand the petition of our collect. The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins, and destitute of any spiritual sensibility. "The carnal mind is en

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mity against God; it is not subject to the law "of God, neither indeed can be." The regenerate sinner is alive indeed. He is raised to newness of life. But he is still far from convalescence while he continues in the hospital of the earthly church. The natural enmity of his heart is destroyed, and love to the Divine will has superseded that disaffection to it which once prevailed within him. But he is still like a tree in winter, which though alive needs the influence of a vernal sun to raise its sap for the production of fruitfuluess, Or, if we compare him to a tree in spring, a further degree of genial warmth than he has yet enjoyed is necessary to convert the promising buds of his profession into fruit. The fruit which is produced by the most advanced Christian is yet unripe and sour, and requires the clear shining after rain" to concoct its juices so that it may become sweet and

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