hearing. And the evil tempers and corrupt inclinations will not answer us, when in the might of Prayer we command them to come out. Something like this is too often the secret process of our hearts, when we kneel down to pray. Now I am not going to plead for a fanatical view of answers to Prayer. I have no great faith in sudden revolutions of feeling, or instantaneous conversions. I know full well that growth in Grace, as in Nature, may be so rapid as to be unhealthily rapid, as to indicate shallowness and want of depth. But one thing I do believe,-to disbelieve which were the most unreasonable of all follies,-to believe which is the dictate of the calmest, soberest, purest, highest reason. One thing I do believe, more surely than the evidence of the senses, for they may be imposed upon;―more surely than those self-evident axioms, upon which mathematical truth is built, for those axioms are only spun out of the human mind, and not external to it. I do believe that God is true. I do believe that whenever God makes a promise, He will assuredly fulfil it. I do believe that if you or I come under the terms of the promise, He will fulfil it to us. I see that He has promised the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him; and it were blasphemous not to believe that the Holy Spirit is able to surmount any and every difficulty.

Therefore if I have ever secretly reasoned as above, if such has ever been the secret process of my heart, I stand convicted of unbelief. It is no marvel that God has withheld the blessing, if I so dishonoured Him in my heart as never seriously to believe that He could or would bestow it. And, in future, if I would meet with success, I must come to the Throne of Grace with an undoubting mind. Having launched my petition into

the world of spirits, I must stand (like good Habak kuk) upon the watch, and set me upon the tower, and must watch to see what He will say to me. Having prayed "Show me a token for good," I must wait, like the augurs, looking up to Heaven until the token comes. I must in the depth of my inmost heart expect to re ceive what I ask for.* And then if, besides this, my prayer be a prayer of Love,—if, while I breathe it, my heart goes forth on an errand of forgiveness towards the man who has thwarted or striven to injure me,— then the answer cannot long tarry. The prayer-word must in that case be a power-word. The effect must be in that case as surely linked to the petition as the blighting of the fig-tree was linked to the Saviour's malediction. 'Through it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

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Before concluding this Chapter, we will give one simple piece of advice, by way of rendering more practical what has been said.

Strive to acquire the habit of asking definitely for particular graces of which you stand in need, and of expecting a definite result. For example; what point of character was it in which you found yourself most deficient in the examination which preceded your last Communion? Until the next Communion comes round, let that particular grace, whether it was purity, or humility, or patience, or zeal, or love, be made the subject of a distinct petition in your prayers. Do not forget the petition; always have it in your mind's eye; try to expect the result,-to assure yourself, on grounds

"My voice shalt Thou hear betimes, O Lord; early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up," i.e. as a watchman, according to the Hebrew.

of simple reason, that, as you have sown, so you will, in due season, reap.

Some may ask, and it is well that they should have a distinct and unequivocal answer,-" Where is my warrant for believing that?" There are many warrants. We will take that which seems least capable of being evaded. It occurs in Luke xi. 13. Read it over before you make your daily petition, and remember that, whatever else may be false, this must be true.

"IF YE THEN, BEING EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS UNTO YOUR CHILDREN; HOW MUCH MORE SHALL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?"

It will be admitted that if, after saying that, God were to withhold the Holy Spirit from those that ask Him, He would be raising expectations which would be disappointed,-a thing plainly abhorrent to His character. I must also call particular attention to the fact, that the one only condition which this promise contemplates, in the persons to whom it is addressed, -is the asking. If you ask, then, clearly and beyond the shadow of a doubt, you are entitled to receive. You may be very sinful at present, very weak, very different in many respects from what you wish to be; that is all beside the mark. The terms of the promise under which you must come, if you desire its fulfilment, are not that you shall be holy, but only that you shall be an asker.

Glorious promise! so sublime! "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children" (why, we know that the tenderness and love of human parents is proverbial): "how much more shall your heavenly Father give "-Give what? Health, and freedom from pain, and a sound mind in a sound body? Good things

these; but He will give something better. What then! Long life, and many days? Ah! it might be only a grief of heart to thee;-no, something better. Large store of silver and gold, flocks and herds, and great worldly well-being?—Ah! the canker of self-indulgence might convert it all into a curse; no, something better. Lofty distinction, high posts, crowns, and empires, and a great name, all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them? Nay, better, much better. "THE HOLY SPIRIT," to be the soul of thy soul, to new-create thy moral nature in the Image of God, to dwell in thee and walk in thee, making thy heart His shrine; a present stream of joy, and strength, and consolation, springing up into everlasting life;—" how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Glorious promise! so free! Free as the air of heaven to those who will but come forth and breathe it. Free as the rivers of the earth to those who will but dip a cup in them, and slake their thirst. Then come forthwith, and claim this mighty Boon. Come with strong desire. Let the heart speak, rather than the mouth. Come in stedfast faith, fastening the whole soul upon that solemn asseveration,-"Yea, let God be true, and every man a liar! And lo! your

word is a word of power. It has unlocked Heaven. Before you call, He answers; and while you are yet speaking, He hears.

CHAPTER IV.

OF SELF-EXAMINATION.

"And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city: the one rich,

and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children: it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock, and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him: but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come unto him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.— -2 SAM. xii. 1-7.

In this striking passage of Holy Scripture we see King David in disguise brought before his own judg ment seat. His judgment, as chief magistrate of his realm, is demanded upon an imaginary case of wanton and cruel oppression, the exact counterpart of that which he had himself committed. David, not recognizing himself under the disguise which the prophet had thrown over him, passes sentence of death and fourfold restitution upon the imaginary offender. No sooner had the sentence gone out of the king's mouth than the prophet unmasks the muffled and mysterious figure which stood at the bar, tears away the disguise, and shows to the astonished king himself: "Thou art