fragrant incense, at the altar of the Eternal? Oh! can we be said to believe in all this, and, nevertheless, neglect to utter the fervent prayer in the closet, or to gather ourselves together in the temple of worship?

And now, dearly beloved, fellow suppliants to the same Father, fellow-benders of the knee at the same altar, permit me to impress upon you, most earnestly and sincerely, the great and indispensable duty of prayer: private prayer in the closet, domestic prayer, and the constant gathering of ourselves together in this place, which we would wish, on the present occasion, (after the interval which has elapsed,) to re-dedicate to the service of God*.

We have reflected that we could not more suitably commence our duties amongst you than by calling up to your minds the grand idea, that whenever even two or three of us are gathered together in this place, if we only offer up our prayers and praises in the name of the prevailing Intercessor, here is Christ himself in the midst of us. What a cheering thought to the minister! what a balmy consolation to the people! that we should have the distinct promise of so august a hearer as God the Father, upon his throne-God the Holy Ghost as the bearer of the spirit of prayer into our hearts, and God the Son as the medium of presenting it for a memorial before the Father. Do you wish to become practical

* Alluding to the re-opening of St. George's Chapel.

Christians? Remember, prayer is the great secret of religion. It is the powerful weapon of defence against our common enemy. What said our Saviour? "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into

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temptation." It was a true saying of one mighty in the scriptures, That if a man once attained a habit of prayer, he must, of necessity, soon break the neck of sin; but that a habit of sinning would soon make him break off the habit of praying*. We are commanded to pray especially for two things for pardon of sin, and for the supply of daily blessings. Now, surely, the easiest possible mode of acquiring good is to ask for it. Is the command hard-" Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, "and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened "unto you?" Let us entreat you to recollect, from your own experience, the heartfelt satisfaction and the great consolation of prayer. A man enters into the presence-chamber of God; and though before so august a Being, he can use a greater freedom of communication than before a fellow-mortal. knows that God is already acquainted with every thought and secret movement of his complex machinery; he knows there will be no cold repulse; for, however unworthy he may be, if only sincere and penitent, God will stretch forth the arms of his mercy, and embrace him with a father's heart. Whether alone in the closet, or assembled in the

* Jeremy Taylor.

He

;

sanctuary, we are assured that God is the hearer, and that Christ is in the midst; and we can approach, therefore, boldly, to the throne of grace ; we can drag forth every sin from its hiding place, and slay it before the Lord. Mark the practical Christian, whilst the spirit of prayer is upon him how the world sweeps by, and is disregarded; how intensely is the eye of faith fixed upon scenes beyond the tomb; how the soul rises upwards with holy aspirations to his Creator, his Redeemer, and his Sanctifier, when it expands with the sublime idea which swelled the soul of Solomon,-that He, "whom the "heaven of heavens cannot contain, should deign to "dwell in a temple made with hands;" that God, to whom the universe is but an atom, should stoop to hold communion with the dust! When he dwells upon the wonders of redeeming love, and brings up the image of Emanuel to his view,-the very God-man, Christ Jesus, walking upon the earth in the midst of sinners, and scattering blessings, as he trod, for thankless man, or when he beholds him, in the travail of his soul, in the solitude of the wilderness, or in the mysterious endurance of an unspeakable agony-scorned, buffeted, bleeding with the thorn and with the scourge, nailed to the cross, dying, and dead; when he sees Him rising from the tomb, the triumphant abolisher of death, and the conqueror of the spiritual destroyer; and, lastly, when he feels the influence of the Holy Spirit, breathing upon him more holy desires, more ardent affections, more

intense longings for salvation; oh! where is the man who has once enjoyed such communion with his God, who would relinquish so blissful a privilege? No, not for the diadems of a thousand kingdoms, nor for immortality upon earth!

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We conclude with the Apostolic exhortation, "In every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known "unto God." Stamp in your hearts the leading idea, that Christ is in the midst of us. Let us not omit a single opportunity of gathering ourselves together, except in cases of absolute necessity. Why should we voluntarily deprive ourselves of so delightful a privilege? Think, when the strains of our earthly anthem swell in full chorus to Heaven, how sweet it would be on the bed of death, and on the threshold of eternity, to have some glimpse, though a faint one, of that temple "not made with hands, immortal "in the heavens." Think how Christ will hereafter continue to be in the midst of us. In that countless gathering of the assembled millions, Christ will be the sun and the sole object of attraction. There will be but one light, and that will be the effulgence of Deity: there will be but one temple, and that will be the Godhead himself.

SERMON II.

MAMMON SUBSERVIENT TO HEAVEN.

LUKE XVI. 9.

"And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations."

It would be extremely difficult to explain this passage, if considered simply by itself. For the precept, "Make to yourselves friends of the mam

mon of unrighteousness," appears, at first sight, to be directly opposite to the fixed law of impossibility laid down by the same divine speaker, only a few verses below, "Ye cannot serve God and "Mammon." It seems discordant also, with the Apostle St. James's doctrine, that, "The friend

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ship of the world is enmity with God." And it appears, as it were, inconsistent with all those suggestions scattered throughout the Gospel,