any form of words, as if it were a charm to drive away evil spirits. Even this is better than nothing, doubtless; but Prayer, properly speaking, is far more than this. It is the desire of the soul made audible. We are directed instead of fretfully entertaining that desire, locking it up in our bosoms, and brooding over it in silence, to pour it into the ears of our Heavenly FATHER, who heareth as well as seeth in secret.

3. And this suggests a third remark upon the language of the text; which proves, on inspection, to be brimfull of heavenly teaching. We are not here invited, (as elsewhere we are,) to earnest, unwearied supplication; but, (as one may say,) simply to a transfer of the thing which vexes us, to God. known unto GOD.'

Let your requests be made

This is a remarkable, as well

as an unusual, way of enforcing the duty of Prayer. Instead of distressing ourselves with that which we can neither avert, alter, nor overcome; instead of a fretful, anxious investigation of possibilities and chances; instead even of a restless endeavour to achieve our own deliverance, or to attain the gratification of our wishes in our own way;-instead of all this, we are commanded simply to make our requests known

to Him in whose Hands are the issues of Life and Death, who orders and governs all things, who shapes all our ends, who bringeth Light out of Darkness, yea, bringeth all things as it pleaseth Him, to pass..... So much then for the manner of our prayer; whereby we are reminded of the pious language which concludes our Morning and Evening Service: 'fulfil now, O LORD, the desires and petitions of Thy servants as may be most expedient for them.' That calm committal to GOD of our supposed wants and our most ardent wishes, is the very language of Faith and Hope. requests known unto God.

It is to make our Not indeed as One

who needeth to be told any thing; (for to Him the very secrets of our hearts are known;) but as One who is pleased to make our petitions the very condition of His benefits.

And this, as before observed, is a leaning upon the Everlasting Arms; a staying ourselves upon Him who alone is a sufficient support and stay. It is an admission that we have a Rock, and a Fortress, and a Deliverer, and a place of Refuge, all which is CHRIST. We put our trust in Him, and we no longer fear what Man can do unto us. We build our nest in Heaven, and grow comparatively careless as to the things of earth.

4. For lastly, it is to be observed that not a word is here said about the fulfilment of petitions. Elsewhere, the promise is,- Whatsoever ye shall ask the FATHER in My Name, He will give it you.' But it is not said so here. The promise made is that Peace,' the Peace of GOD which passeth all understanding,' — shall take up its abode in the hearts and minds which before were filled with an unreasonable amount of corroding anxiety and care. O the blessed change! and O the blessed promise, which is much stronger in the original than in our English Version. It is declared that the Divine Inmate will take up His abode in our heart and mind, (the seat of our affections, as well as the faculty whereby we think,) and keep His dwelling-place as soldiers keep a garrison. The Peace of GOD which passeth all understanding shall guard your heart and mind,'-for the Greek word means as much as that. This is the sum of the whole

matter. The disturbing Spirit will be driven out, and the Spirit of Peace will enter in its place. This is the great gift which the Prince of Peace hath pledged Himself ever to bestow in answer to prayer... 'Great peace have they which love Thy Law,' says the Psalmist. It is

c Ps. cxix. 165.

a peculiar sign of a holy life that the heart and mind should be at peace.

Peace then, the Peace of GOD, let us learn above all things, in prayer, to look and long for. More even than the fulfilment of our petitions, let us covet this,-which is surely good for us: whereas we may chance, in our blindness, to ask for that which, if bestowed, would be our very ruin. Thrice happy are we in the promise that ou affections shall thus become sanctified, our very reasonings about the present, past, and future rendered calm and holy! Well may such a precious gift be made the subject of many a collect, many an ejaculation, many a solemn benediction in the Prayer-Book! How is that word (Peace) the very key-note of the Gospel also,—the constant theme of the Spirit!... The Angels, on the night when CHRIST was born, proclaimed, 'On earth, Peace!' When He was about to leave the world, this was the legacy which He bequeathed to His Church, -'Peace I leave with you: My Peace I give unto you.' And when He rose from death, Peace' was the first word which the ten Apostles heard His blessed lips pronounce. He said, 'Peace be with you!'

Christmas-Day.

THE WORD MADE FLESH.

ST. JOHN i. 14.

THE WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

CHRISTMAS-DAY, as it is the foremost of our great Christian Festivals, so is it the foundation of all the others also. On the Incarnation, (or the Coming of JESUS CHRIST in the flesh,) is built the entire fabric of our hopes as Christian men. The two Sacraments of the Gospel grow out of it, and are altogether indebted to it for their meaning, force, and value. To establish this great doctrine, St. John declares that he wrote his Gospela; and the purpose of the whole New Testament is clearly no other. On our acceptance or rejection of it, our eternal happiness may be truly said to depend. Let us then, at this time, seek to bend our thoughts dutifully on this solemn subject. The contemplation of a doctrine may not be so entertaining to the mind, as the discussion of a history; or so affecting to

• St. John xx. 31.