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room for vain and fruitless imaginations respecting the fathomless and inconceivable mode of his existence.

The second thing necessary is, that, the mind should view God in Christ. If it is baffled and perplexed, as it surely will be, in its attempts to unravel the spiritual nature of God, let it seek a resting-place in the 'incarnate mystery.' This was one part of the gracious design of God, in assuming human nature. It was to bring, so to speak, the Infinite in a direct angle with the finite, so that, the two lines should not merely run parallel, but that the two extremes of being should meet. It was, so to imbody his essential and surpassing glories, as would present an object which man could contemplate without fear, worship without distraction, and look upon and not die. The Lord Jesus Christ is "the image of the invisible God," "the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person." "He that hath seen me (his own declaration) hath seen the Father." Wondrous stoop of the great God! In all approach to God, then, in prayer, as in every other kindred exercise, let the eye of faith be fixed upon him who fills the middle seat upon the throne-the Day's-Man-the Mediator-the incarnate Son of God. How quieting to the mind of a praying soul is this view of God. What a mildness invests the throne of grace, and

what an easy access to it presents itself when the eye of faith can behold "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And, if the mind is embarrassed in its attempts to conceive an idea of his spiritual nature, it can soothe itself to repose in a believing view of the glorified humanity of Jesus, "God manifest in the flesh." To this resting-place he himself invites the soul-"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." And thus, too, he calmed the fears of his exiled servant, who, when the splendour of his glorified humanity broke upon his view, fell prostrate to the earth—“ And when I saw him," says John, "I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right-hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Another infirmity which often operates as an obstruction to the free course of prayer is,-the manifest want of wisdom that may mark the petition of a child of God. He may ask a thing of God, in itself destitute of wisdom. As, for example, when Paul prayed for the removal of the thorn in the flesh, he asked that of God which betrayed a want of wisdom in the thing he petitioned for. Who would have suspected this in the apostle of the Gentiles! But, the Lord knew

best what was for the good of his dear servant. He saw that, on account of the peculiar revelations that were given him in his visit to glory, the discipline of the covenant was needed to keep him low in the dust. And, when his child petitioned thrice for the removal of the thorn in the flesh, he for a moment overlooked, in the painful nature of the discipline, its needed influence to keep him "walking humbly with God." So that we see even an inspired apostle may ask those things of God which he may see fit to refuse. We may frequently expect some trial-something to keep us low before God-after a season of peculiar nearness to God, a manifestation of his loving kindness to our souls. There is a proneness to rest in selfcomplacency after close communion with God, that the gentle hand of our Father is needed to screen us from ourselves. It was so with Paul, why may it not be with us? In withholding, however, the thing we ask of him, we may be assured of this, that he will grant us a perfect equivalent. The Lord saw fit to deny the request of the apostle, but he granted him an equivalent, yea, more than equivalent to that which he denied him ;-he gave him his all-supporting grace. My grace is sufficient for thee." Beloved reader, hast thou long asked for the removal of some secret, heavy, painful cross? Perhaps thou art yet urging thy request;

and yet the Lord seems not to answer thee. And why? because the request may not be in itself wise. Were he now to remove that cross, he may, in taking away the cross, close up a channel of mercy which thou wouldest never cease to regret. O what secret and immense blessing may that painful cross be the mean of conveying into your soul. Is it health thou has long petitioned for? And is the request denied thee? O it is wisdom that denies. It is love too, tender unchangeable love to thy soul, that refuses a petition which a wise and gracious God knows, if granted, would not be for thy real good and his glory. Do you not think that, there is love and tenderness enough in the heart of Jesus to grant you what you desire, and ten thousand times more, did he see that it would promote your true holiness and happiness? Could he resist that request, that desire, that sigh, that tear, that beseeching look, if infinite wisdom did not guide him in all his dealings with your soul? O no! But, he gives you an equivalent to the denied request. He gives you himself. Can he give you more? His grace sustains youhis arm supports you-his love soothes you-his Spirit comforts you—and your chamber of solitude, though it may not be the scene of health and buoyancy and joyousness, yet, may be the secret place where a covenant God and Father pours his

grace into your soul-where Jesus seeks to meet you with the choicest unfoldings of his love. Could he not, would he not heal thee in a moment if it would be for your good? Then, ask for a submissive spirit. A will swallowed up in God thy Father's. And it may be, when the lesson of secret and filial submission is learned-so that health shall no longer be desired only as a means of glorifying God-he may put forth his healing power, and grant thee thy request. But, forget not, the Lord best knows what will most promote his own glory. You may have thought that health of body would better enable you to glorify him. He may think that the chamber of solitude and the bed of languishing is most productive of glory to his name. The patience, resignation, meek submission, child-like acquiescence, which his blessed Spirit through this means works in your soul, may more glorify him than all the active graces that ever were brought into exercise.

A believer may urge a request that is in itself wrong. This is another infirmity connected with prayer. The mother of Zebedee's children did so, when she asked the Lord that her two sons might sit, the one on his right hand, and the other on the left in his kingdom, Matt. xx. 20, 21. Who does not mark the self that appears in this petition. And, although it was a mother's love

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