prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." All feel anxiety to be a galling load. But the question is, how are we to disencumber ourselves of the burden?-All acknowledge the disorder: and many remedies have been prescribed, by way of remedy. But if some of them touch the paroxysm of the complaint, none of them reach the root of the malady. The commonness of the case; the brevity of time; the uselessness of giving way to solicitude; and the injurious effects of it: all these are true and proper-but they do not go far enough. The fact is, if we are not to be careful, some one must care for us. And the thing is, and nothing less than this can tranquillize the mind; to be under the management of Him, who loves us better than we love ourselves, knows unerringly what is good for us, and is able to make every thing conduce to our welfare-" casting all our care on Him; for he careth for us." And this is done by prayer. Hezekiah took the letter, and went and spread it before the Lord. Hannah poured out her heart before God, and her countenance was no more sad. In whatever has befallen or foreboded him, every believer has made the trial, and been able to say, with Asaph-"But it is good for me to draw near to God."

Secondly. It is to be very extensively, yea, universally performed. Not in some things, or in many things-but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, we are to make known our requests unto God. Some only pray when God's chastening hand is upon them. In their affliction they seek him early. And this, as far as it goes, is not to be censured. Many, like Manasseh, have first sought God in trouble. Prayer is peculiarly seasonable in distress. But though prayer may commence in affliction, it is not to cease with it. It is not to be confined to it. Prayer is equally needful to preserve and sanctify us, in prosperity. It is not praying on extraordinary occasions, but on common ones, that evinces a pious frame of

mind. Do we delight ourselves in the Almighty? Do we always call upon God? In all thy ways, says Solomon, acknowledge Him. It is thus alone we give God the glory of his universal providence; not thinking, with the Assyrians, that he is the God of the hills only, but also of the valleys; and that a sparrow falleth not to the ground without our Heavenly Father; and that the very hairs of our head are all numbered. Some imagine that many things are too little to be the subjects of prayer. A distinction is indeed to be made between the particularity and minuteness of private and public prayer-But let us remember, that we are not to consider any thing too little for our prayer that God does not deem beneath his notice. And also, that it is difficult, if not impossible for us, in many cases, to ascertain what is little; as events the most important often hinge on circumstances apparently the most trivial. Joseph's going to inquire after the welfare of his brethren on the plain, seemed a slight thing. Yet he, that morning, took leave of his father for more than twenty-one years; and went a way by which he never returned. Saul sought his father's asses-a thing that seemed devoid of consequence; but perhaps he is now in hell, owing to it for then began his prosperity, which destroyed him-then Samuel met him, and anointed him king over Israel. You go out, not knowing what a day may bring forth, as to your happiness or miseryBefore the evening, you may meet accidentally with a connexion that shall prove a source of joy or suffering through life. "Why this is enough to make one live and move in constant trembling." This is not the design of it-but it is designed to induce you-in every thing to commit your way and your works unto the Lord.

Thirdly. It is to be always attended with a pleasing companion-But in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And does not this imply,

that we can never approach God without having cause for gratitude? Hence it is said, in every thing give thanks. Whatever be our condition, we have much more to be grateful for, than to complain ofComplain! What can ever justify this? Why should a living man complain, a man, for the punishment of his sin? Let our losses and afflictions be what they may, He has not dealt with us after our desert, nor rewarded us according to our iniquity. Yea, the trials themselves are the effects of love, and designed to work together for our highest welfare.

And does it not teach us, that whenever we go to God to ask for fresh favours, we should be sure to acknowledge the reception of former ones? How seldom is this the case! How much selfishness is there, even in our devotions! How much more of our worship is occupied in petition, than in praise! Urged by our necessities, we go, and call upon God in prayer; but when we have succeeded, we forget to return to give him the glory that is due unto his holy Name. Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Where is even Hezekiah? He rendered not according to the benefit done him.

OCT. 9.-"I did know thee in the Wilderness, in the land of great drought.” Hosea xiii. 5.

THIS "Wilderness" means the vast desert in which the Jews wandered for forty years, between Egypt and Canaan. It is characterized by one attribute"A land of great drought." And this was enough to render it trying. But it was in every respect formidable and repulsive. Witness the language of Jeremiah: "Neither said they, Where is the Lord

that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the Wilderness: through a land of deserts, and of pits; through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death; through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt."

But here God says, "I knew thee." It cannot mean a mere acquaintance with their condition and circumstances; for what can be hid from Him? But it intends two things.

First. He knew them there, so as to provide for them. Thus it marks his goodness; and forms a contrast with the conduct of many of our fellowcreatures. A friend is born for adversity: and to him that is afflicted, pity should be shewed from his friend. But, alas! this is rarely exemplified. They who were intimate enough with their connexions before, scarcely know them when they are in distress. The flower which, when fresh and fragrant, was put into the bosom, is, when withered and dry, thrown away. The garden which, while yielding every kind of gratification, is constantly visited, is deserted in winter. But it is otherwise with God. Though he never leaves his people, he has peculiarly promised to be with them in trouble. David acknowledged this: "Thou hast known my soul in adversities." And has he not known our souls in the same state? Has he not been better to us than our fears? Has he not proved himself "a very present help in trouble"? So it was with Israel-He found them in a desert land, in a waste howling wilderness. The situation afforded them no supplies, but he allowed them to want no good thing. He led them by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by nighthealed the bitter waters of Marah-fetched them honey out of a rock, and oil out of the flinty rock— rained down manna upon them-suffered not their raiment to wax old upon them, nor their foot to swell in travelling-vanquished their enemies-gave them ordinances and sent his Holy Spirit to instruct them—

i so that Moses well said, "Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved of the Lord!"

Secondly. He knew them there, so as to approve of them, and acknowledge them. It is undeniable that the word know has this meaning, when it is said, "The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous." "If any man love God, the same is known of him." "Know them that labour among you." But did God thus know them in the Wilderness? Not absolutely, but comparatively. They followed him out of Egypt, and not one lingered behind. At the Red Sea they sang his praise. At Sinai they cheerfully and unreservedly acceded to his Covenant. And though they were guilty of many perversenesses and rebellions, yet they never wholly relinquished his worship, and established idolatry and wickedness by a law, as they afterwards did in Canaan. While we dwell on imperfections, God loves to make the best of things. Sarah spake unadvisedly with her lips; but she uttered one good thing-she called Abraham, Lord; and this only is mentioned. Job cursed the day of his birth: but when James refers to him, we hear only of the patience of Job. And observe God's gracious testimony concerning Israel at this period: "Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was, holiness unto the Lord, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord."

Adversity will not, of itself, secure godliness. Persons may be reduced, and not humbled. They may be afflicted, and God not know them in their distress. Yet, in general, if you observe others, and review your own experience, you will find times of affliction have been more friendly to religion, than seasons of ease and prosperity.

First. When has God known your conscience