pray for themselves in His name unto GOD, because God Himself loved them. But after He had so said, and while they were as yet babes in CHRIST and had not knowledge and utterance in prayer, their blessed Lord spake for them and said to His Father, "I pray for them I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me: for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine: and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world: but these are in the world. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are." In these and many other like words did the gracious and ever merciful JESUS speak for them and for all believers unto the end of the world. Such a blessed Advocate had they! and such a blessed and prayerful Advocate have we also, who now do believe in Him! He prays and speaks for His children to GOD, when they are too

young, or too ignorant, or from any cause, not able to pray for themselves. Still, dear friends, it is CHRIST'S Will concerning His own, that they should be a praying people-because GOD the Father loveth them, and is ready to hear them when they come in the name of JESUS. There is one thing more than all others, which seems to shut up the blessed fountain of Prayer in the christian's heart, so that the holy stream of heavenly thoughts and heavenly words within him is cold and frozen, and cannot flow forth and run. That freezing and prayer-hindering thing is Sin. Have you not at times felt your heart melted and free towards GOD, and prayer leaped up within like the waters of a plentiful well? and then alas! soon after that sweet hour, you again sinned in some thing, and lo! the springing well was turned into a hard rock, and the water-springs into a dry ground? you sinned, and felt barren-you sinned, and could not pray! you sinned, and

did not wish to pray! O! is not this a sorrowful, a shameful state for God's children to be ever found in? It is, it is indeed! To such believers here as have known by experience what I mean, to them I would say, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not"-that ye be more careful and watchful over the good treasure in your hearts, lest the enemy again stop your wells, as the Philistines did the wells of Abraham. And if one of you here, who believe in JESUS, are now dry in heart and have lost your comfort, and cannot pray, because you have done amiss, to you I say, "take heed, and look unto JESUS CHRIST,-take courage, and look unto Him, for He will pray for you, -He will plead for you,-He will speak for you, a miserable sinner. For "if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous."

SERMON X.

DOERS OF THE WORD.

Be

JAMES i. 22, &c.

ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1. The "word of GOD" is a teacher. CHRIST is a teacher.-They who preach

His word, according to His will, are teachers. "The word " is indeed a mighty thing too good to be despised: therefore, brethren, do not neglect it. Have not some of us too often neglected it? Have we not too often been half asleep while the first and second lessons were read in church and the Psalms of David? This is one way of grieving the Lord who has given us His word. His word is too great to be trifled with. Would you let your children play with some precious treasure? No: lest they should break it, and hurt themselves. We must not play with God's word. It is not meant to be as a plaything for His children. Why do some of you come to hear the word? Is it that you may be amused with what the minister reads or preaches? Then you make God's word a mere pastime, a sport, a plaything. This is quite wrong. Take heed lest you hurt yourselves with such hearing, such trifling. May the Lord give you grace to come to learn. For