own, he adds, with that humility and selfabasement, with that tenderness and jealousy for God's honour, which never forsake him, "yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me." We are by nature weak as well as wicked; we are not only polluted by sin, but are also พ compassed with infirmity." That infirmity extends itself over our inner, as well as our outer man; and it is no less true of our spiritual, than it is of our natural state, that" in God we live and move and have our being." We must indeed "labour abundantly," as St. Paul did; we must be diligent in using the appointed means of grace, prayer, the word, and the sacraments; we must endeavour to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling a we must in a word exert ourselves, as if our salvation depended entirely upon our own exertions; but after all that we have done, or can do, we must acknowledge, that "without God we can do nothing";" and must attribute with the Apostle the

whole glory of the contest to "the grace of God which is with us."

The necessity of dwelling at present more fully upon an application of the Apostle's language to ourselves, is superseded by the foregoing remarks; wherein that application has been in a great measure anticipated by the consideration that has been given to our own circumstances, as affected by those of St. Paul. As a summary however of what I would wish to impress upon your minds, I will briefly notice in conclusion; that the words now considered may conduct us by the blessing of God into the sound and salutary mean between those errors, which men are often tempted to embrace, by the pride of human nature on the one hand, and by mistaken views of the divine grace on the other. Are we then disposed to indulge a fond opinion of our own dignity; to excuse, or to extenuate, our sins against the divine Majesty; and to rely upon our sufficiency to do what is pleasing to God? Let us learn a lesson of humility from the holy Apostle Paul; who with a deep sense

of his own offences and unworthiness ascribed the blessings, which he enjoyed, and the strength, with which he was endowed, to the free and unmerited grace of God. Are we liable to be deluded into the contrary extreme; to be little careful, in our reliance upon God's free grace, to maintain good works; and rather "to continue in sin that grace may abound?" Let the example of the same Apostle prompt us to diligence and activity in our holy calling; whilst we behold him, who in the enjoyment of God's grace was "not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles,"

labouring more abundantly than they all, that the grace of God might not be bestowed upon him in vain." Upon the whole; our Church well expresses the doctrine of the Apostle, and of scripture in general, upon this subject, when she says in her tenth Article, that "we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing" (or going before)" us, that we may have a good will; and working with us, when we have that good will:" not working without us, but

working with us: not operating upon us, as mere irrational machines; but cooperating with us, as fallen but still reasonable beings; as moral, and therefore responsible agents. For, although as the Apostle affirms, and as we glory with him in avowing," neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase;" still we are assured on the same unerring authority, that whilst we act" according to the grace of God which is given unto us God regards us as "workers and labourers together with him ;" and does not disdain to promise that "every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own laboure."

d "'

• 1 Cor. iii. 7. • Rom. xii. 6.

1 Cor. iii. 8, 9.

SERMON XXIII.

EFFICACY AND REQUISITES OF PRAYER.

LUKE Xviii. 1-6.

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint : Saying, there was in a city a judge, which feared not God neither regarded man:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adver

sary.

And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she

weary me.

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

AND well may we hear it, my brethren ; well may we hear it, and attend to it, and