and that he can give wisdom to the simple, that he can guide by his counsel, and direct every event of this life to his own honour and glory, and to the good of his servant! The heart renewed by the grace of God looks back upon preservation from danger as a great mercy, and is encouraged to anticipate a sure defence in every time of trouble. It is careful for nothing, but it is much engaged in prayer! It is earnest in supplication! It continually recounts God's mercies, and is filled with gratitude. All things thus become new. It realizes those repeated promises of God by his prophet, “A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will be your God, and you shall be my people." The whole course of life, as thus directed by an all-wise but unseen hand, moves onwards with one great object in view, and that object isEternity. The salvation of the immortal soul; the hope of dwelling with God for ever in heaven; the debt of gratitude incurred by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross; these great and important points, well considered, lead the christian traveller to cast all his care upon God. Man reasons

from that which he knows to be true, to conclusions equally certain which are yet to come. He has positive duties of the most active nature to perform; he has a weight of responsibility upon him; but the christian system, which he has deeply studied, and by which he is guided in the discharge of these duties, leads him to go forwards, to be fervent in spirit, to run with patience the race that is set before him, to press to the mark of the prize of his high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Nor is this by any means a fancied picture, or an exaggerated statement. The rule of duty, as laid down in sacred scripture, being made the guide of every action, the Christian labours day by day to conform his views to that unerring standard. He therefore casts all his care upon God. He knows that providence extends to every minute particular of his life. He remembers the strong injunctions of his blessed Saviour upon this head, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the hairs of your very head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many spar

rows." Thus, in all the little intricate turnings and windings of human life, a deep sense of the superintending providence of Almighty God, with a reliance upon his word of promise, will support the soul. We know nothing yet as we ought to know, but by faith we see him who is invisible, and we believe that all events, present, past, and future, are under his righteous and most merciful government.

2d. Let us now proceed to consider the effect which a constant habit of prayer will produce in the regulation of the daily conduct of the Christian. "In everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." This habit of constant prayer will take the burden from the poor weak suppliant, and place it upon one who is strength; upon him whose yoke is easy, and whose burden is light. It will relieve the mind from an insupportable weight. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee!" Cast all your care upon God. "Pray without ceasing." In everything give thanks. And it is worthy of our most serious consideration, that the disciples of the blessed

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Jesus are not only encouraged to pray, but upbraided for a neglect of this great duty. "Ask, and it shall be given you." "God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.” "Ye have not, because you ask not!" Thus the power is put into the hands of the suppliant ; he unbosom his cares; he may may consult an infallible guide; he may escape the sad mistakes which so commonly attend presumption. And why does he then not approach a throne of grace, and seek direction from that God who loves to answer prayer? Infidelity and negligence are at the root of this evil! Rather "by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." The humble-minded man who has received mercy will always abound in thanksgiving. His constant cry will be, What shall I · render unto the Lord for all his mercies ?" I thank thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation! And as he thanks God for mercies received, he will pray for himself, his family, his country, the church of Christ, for all mankind, even for his very enemies; and thus his conscience will be at peace, and he will partially anticipate that

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state from which all anxious care, and "sorrow, and sighing shall flee away!"

But there is a yet further promise annexed. Thus pray to God! Thus lay aside all undue and immoderate care, and "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!" Nothing can exceed the blessing contained in this promise. The peace of God! What tongue can tell—what language can describe the peace of God? Well may the apostle add, "which passeth all understanding." When St. Paul was caught up into the third heaven, he heard unspeakable things, which it was impossible for a man to utter; and if the joys of heaven cannot be described, because they have not yet been fully experienced, the inward peace of mind which the Christian experiences can very faintly be made known to others, for it far exceeds all powers of description. "It passeth all understanding!" But when it is experienced thus far, we may safely pronounce, "that it will keep the heart and mind through Christ Jesus."

What a different state of things is by this means produced, from that anxious, worldly