he prayed to God alway." Observe the distinction here made: he prayed to God alway. This was an evidence of his sincerity; and that his character was essentially different from that of the hypocrite, who will not always call upon God. On the other hand, sinners of all descriptions are characterised, by refusing to call upon God-or calling upon him only when in distress-in danger; therefore they are inconstant, at best, in the performance of this duty. Much is said in scripture to impress this truth on the mind of every one, that pious men, are men of prayer-that it is a duty in which they persevere; and that the fact is different with hypocrites. Why it is so, is our third inquiry.

III. Under this head we promised to give the reasons why hypocrites do not always call upon God.

1. The hypocrite does not delight himself in the Almighty. He does not love God; he has no delight in the divine character and perfections. Hence Job demands, in the words immediately preceding the text, with respect to the hypocrite, "will he delight himself in the Almighty ?" This mode of expression amounts to a full declaration that he will not. And this seems to be introduced as a reason, why he will not always call upon God. The disaffection of sinners to God is the reason, why they do not always call upon God; as the sincere love of saints is a reason, why they persevere in this duty. Prayer is the medium, or way in which the pious heart converses with God; and it is natural to suppose, that they who love God should delight in the duty of prayer; because it is the way in

which they converse with the object of their affections. It would be very unnatural to suppose, that a person should love God, and not delight in communion and intercourse with him by prayer; and hence it is agreeable to reason, as well as scripture to believe, that the heart which loves and delights in God, should desire to be near him. And this is the simple reason, why good men are men of prayer. Take away their love, and you take away every thing, which can attract and bring them near to him. And it is because hypocrites, and all wicked men, do not love God, that they neglect it. Prayer considered in itself, is a delightful employment to none, but a renewed man. Hence when wicked men pray, it is out of fear, knowing it to be a duty, the neglect of which God will punish; or they pray from a hope of obtaining some selfish good; for it is absurd to suppose, they delight in it for its own sake. They do not love to draw near to God, nor are they delighted with a sense of his presence, and are willing to think but little of him, and to converse but little with him. Though hypocrites may be excited to call upon God by the hope of reward-by the desire of applause, or the fear of punishment, yet being destitute of an heart to commune with God, they do not persevere in this exercise. Did hypocrites really love God, they would continue to call upon him; for men will persevere in cultivating an acquaintance with those whom they love, and in whose society they delight. This brings into view the second reason, why hypocrites do not always call upon God.

2. The business in itself is unpleasant. As they have no delight in the object of prayer, so they dislike the duty itself. The heart of the hypocrite is a proud heart. It loves independence, and naturally as pires after it. But prayer is an expression of dependence; strictly speaking prayer is begging. But the proud heart can have no pleasure in this, let the favours which he begs be ever so rich and necessary. Prayer is a confession of our poverty and dependence, and therefore must ever in its nature be unpleasant to an unhumble heart. This may properly be considered as a very important reason, why the hypocrite does not continue to call upon God, particularly in secret prayer.

3. Another reason why the hypocrite does not alGod is, because he has no proper sense ways call upon of his sin and danger. The hypocrite has never had such a discovery of these, as to excite him "to lay hold of the hope set before him in the gospel." Instead of smiting upon his sinful heart, like the Publican, and crying "God be merciful to me a sinner," the hypocrite is ready to give thanks that he is not like other men. A sense of danger often sets wicked men to call upon God. This made the heathen, who were in the ship with Jonah, cry every man to his god. This made the people of Israel, when surrounded, on the one hand, with the red sea, and on the other, with the Egyptian armies, to cry unto the Lord. Thus with sinners under conviction of their sin and danger, the first effect produced by such conviction is, they are led to call upon God in secret prayer; and while

their sense of danger continues, they continue in this practice; but when this impression wears away, they commonly become careless in this exercise, and fre quently in the end wholly abandon it. There is, perhaps, nothing, but a sense of imminent danger, which will excite the wicked man to constancy in secret prayer; and even this will not make him love it. Hypocrites have commonly but little sense of danger; and hence are wont to be very negligent in secret prayer, even when they display the greatest zeal for God in the view of the world.

4. Another reason why hypocrites do not always call upon God is, they are commonly very blind to their wants. They are not sensible, that they are poor, miserable, undone creatures, without the help of God; but feel spiritually rich and in need of nothing. They have never attended to the kind advice of Christ to all such characters, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed." But the importance of prayer is not seen, is not felt by him who sees not, that he is in a perishing condition, and that God alone can save him from ruin. There must be, on the heart an habitual sense of our spiritual necessities to lead us daily to the throne of divine grace to obtain mercy, "and find help in every time of need." The appetite for food given to man, daily excites him to seek a supply. O how precious is the cool, refreshing stream, to the thirsty, fainting pilgrim, travelling in a dry and thirsty land. Take away his thirst-his sense of want with what indifference would he pass

over the stream-even by fountains of living water? The hypocrite, like this traveller, feels no wanthever hungers nor thirsts after righteousness-never felt the desires of an ancient pilgrim, and can hardly under stand his meaning when he hears him crying out→→ "as the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is." He therefore draws no water from the wells of salvation. He lives on himself warms himself with the sparks of his own fire which he has kindled. But alas! this will be his portion, he must lie down in sorrow.

We have now assigned the reasons why the hypocrite will not always call upon God. A few reflections will close.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. Here then, my brethren, you and I have a standard by which to examine and judge ourselves. Are we men of prayer? And is this the delightful business of our lives? The conscience of each can, and will inform him whether prayer is his daily business; and whether it is an employment, that is agreeable to his heart. If you are strangers to this duty-if it be unpleasant to you, what is the conclusion? Need I tell you? To be real christians, you must pray-you must pray in faith-you must always call upon God. If this be now your character, you are indeed christians ; be "not weary in well doing, for in due season" you "shall reap if you faint not." But if this is not your character now, and should it never be