How much cause for this is found in the general ungodliness of our country! We are a Christian people more in name than in reality. Let our morals be tested by the unerring standard of the word of God, and the result of the examination will be fearful. The state of crime is appalling our prisons are crowded, and vast numbers are annually banished to distant colonies for their crimes; murders of the foulest kind have been committed, and the earth is stained with blood. Drunkenness is alarmingly prevalent; and thousands are habitually the slaves of this degrading vice. "Because of swearing, the land mourneth;" and the oaths of the blasphemer fall upon our ears. Ours is "an adulterous generation." The profanation of the Sabbath is a sin most fearfully common. In our own city numbers are engaged on this day of rest in their ordinary callings; while others desecrate this holy day by scenes of gaiety and mirth, dissipation and riot. In the high places of the earth, in the Legislature of the land, some of our Senators have impiously dared to propose that places of public amusement shall be opened on the Lord's day. "Ah! sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers." If God judge the nations, and punish national offences with calamities, as tokens of his displeasure, well may our sins have been followed by distress. 'Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah."

There is much also in the state of our religious community which requires deep and general humiliation before God. The piety of many is feeble, and of others questionable. Are there not many amongst us who remain, as to their personal enjoyment, ignorant of the great blessings of justification, adoption, and the comfortable persuasion of God's favour? And yet, for years, they have been listening to a ministry which has explained these privileges, and taught the method of their attainment; they have been content with their cold desires, and have remained under "the spirit of bondage again to fear." And others, it is dreaded, "are at ease in Zion;" they have "settled upon their lees;" they are mere professors of religion, without the enjoyment of its blessings, and without exhibiting its influence; "clouds are they without water;" they have "a name that they live, and are dead."

The worldly conformity of many of our members is to be deplored. The church of Christ was designed by its Founder to be composed of a people separated from the ungodly world; and a plain boundary-live was to keep them distinct. The character of our forefathers was marked by their careful separation from the follies, and fashions, and pursuits of the times. It was on this account they endured so large a share of contempt and scorn: the world hated them because they were not of the world. Do we, in this respect, equal them? Is it not now the duty of the watchmen, who stand upon the walls of our Zion, to

sound an alarm? Ought they not to cry, "Come out from amongst them, and be ye separate?" If in any instance we have degenerated from the high character of the holy men of ancient days, who first bore the name we bear, is it not in conformity to the world? Do not some modern Methodists approach too near the dividing line?-and the borderers are often trespassers. Are there not some amongst us who mingle with the world in their frivolous amusements, and adopt their fashions, and pursue their splendours? And since the love of the world necessarily extinguishes the love of God, how sad a cause is this for deep humiliation!

Christians

How much of lukewarmness in the cause of God! should live for the glory of the Saviour. The church exists for the salvation of the world; and all its members should make their lives a course of activity and usefulness; their influence, their energies, and their talents should be occupied for the great Master, and presented a willing sacrifice to Christ. Do all amongst us thus live? Are there not many who do nothing, or next to nothing, to save men? There are thousands perishing around them, perishing every where; but these Christian professors are asleep; they extend no hand to save from death;" and are scarcely roused from their own slumbers by the piercing cry of the lost spirits, plunging into the abyss of woe. And some have grown rich amongst us, who give but little more to the support of the ministry, and for the world's salvation, than they gave in times of comparative poverty: they can expend liberally in luxury, in fashions, in pleasure; but appeals from the poor of Christ's flock, and for aid in evangelizing the nations, are met by a scanty donation, rendered more distressing by the "grudging" manner in which it is bestowed.

And further, there is a lamentable prevalence of the sin of backsliding amongst us. The term is used here in the sense of drawing back from God in any degree: it is applied to those who have abandoned their resolutions and efforts to seek the Lord. What vast numbers are there in our congregations, who were closely united with us! They are now without. In our large towns there are to be found hundreds of persons who have been described by our Ministers, in the return of their quarterly pastoral visitations, as "backsliders ;' and grievous has been the fall of many. They have afforded triumph to the ungodly, the bands of the wicked have been strengthened, the blasphemer's song has been louder; while stumbling-blocks have been cast in the way of the weak, the timid have become more fearful, and the humbled and discouraged followers of Christ have wept before the Lord, and prayed, "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail among the children of men." Surely we have reason for humility before God. He planted us "a noble vine, wholly a right seed;" yet to many may the inquiry be presented, "How, then, art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?"

Lowly and general should be our confessions of sin, and earnest our deprecations of threatened judgments.

The other method directed by the text for averting foreboded evils is,

Secondly, Earnest prayer.

The scriptural connexion between the duties of humiliation and prayer, has been already pointed out. It is stated in several of the examples of the former duty, which already have been adduced; and the latter almost necessarily follows the former. Where the heart is humbled, there will be confession of sin, and earnest prayer, that the anger of God may be turned away; and fervent entreaties for his promised blessings will be offered. And in the text, when the fast is sanctified, and the people are assembled, "the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord," are to say, "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach."

This portion of the subject is so important, as to justify, and even to require, a somewhat particular reference to the numerous blessings which we seek from God.

1. There must be earnest entreaty for personal blessings. In the concern which we may feel for the general prosperity of the church of God, individual piety must not be neglected. The prosperity of the whole so obviously depends upon the prosperity of its parts, that by nothing can the extensive revival of religion through our societies be more perfectly secured, than by the increasing personal godliness of every member. The dulness, the formality, the hypocrisy of a few, may prove all but insuperable barriers to the spread of religion. Because of one Achan in the camp, with his secreted wedge of gold, the hosts of Israel were routed before their foes. Each of us must cultivate for himself a closer walk with God, and give himself continually to prayer.

2. The spirit of intercession must be implored and exercised. The command, that intercession should be made for all men, is imperative. Prayer, inspired by the Spirit of God, is never selfish: at the throne of grace a Christian will remember the wants of the world.

Intercession must be made for our families. The heads of families must plead for these around their domestic altars, and in the devotions of retirement. Prayer must be presented for the conversion of our households without it they perish; they will not be saved because they are of the stock of Israel, or the children of Abraham; they must be pardoned, and renewed by faith in the atonement of Christ, or they will be lost for ever. There is encouragement to present these prayers. To the children of believers God has promised his blessing: "I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." He has taken them into the bonds of his covenant of mercy; the seal of the covenant has been placed upon them; and intercessions on their behalf, offered in faith, shall not be unsuccessful.

Our country demands our prayers. The captive Jews were directed

to seek the peace of Babylon; and well may we seek the welfare of the land of our birth, and of our homes: and never did our country more truly need the prayers of God's people. Amidst the strife of political parties, the agitations of discontented men, and the sufferings of our labouring population, fervent should be the intercessions of the saints of God for their country's weal. They are required for the poor, that their wants may be supplied, and that the cravings of hunger may be satisfied. They are required for the governors and Magistrates of the land, that they may be guided by the "wisdom which cometh from above;" and that, while they hold the sword, it may be for the benefit of those whom they govern. And the spiritual interests of this country most of all require the intercessions of those who are pleading with God. Clouds hang over us; the prospect, that fatal error should spread, is alarming: this land of light may soon be covered with thick darkness; but prayer may repel the clouds which seem advancing, and light continue to cheer our dwellings.

Prayer must be made for the universal church of Christ. Nothing of the littleness of what has been called, "the selfishness of the sect," should ever be felt at the throne of the common Father of us all. Some professing Christians appear to pray as though the Head of the church catholic were but the Leader of a party, and the Head of their sect; they forget that our Lord Jesus Christ is "both theirs and ours." And "supplication must be made for all saints," whatever may be the names by which, in this world of imperfection and infirmity, they may be known. Intercessions should be made for the removal of the discords which now afflict and weaken the church; for an increased number of holy and gifted Ministers; and for the abundant success of the labours of all.

Intercession must be offered for the religious society to which we are united. How numerous are the blessings which we need! And for them all God must be entreated, that he may bestow them. Prayer must be made for the peace of our societies. Too often have the voice of discord, and the din of wordy strife, been heard; but united prayer should be presented, that we may henceforth live as brethren, and that blessings more rich than the dew of Hermon may descend upon us. Prayer must be offered for the purity of our Connexion. The glory of all Christian churches is their purity; their beauty is the completeness of their resemblance to Christ. This constitutes the power of the church, and compels iniquity to hide its head. Let prayer, then, be presented, that all who may be joined with us may receive large effusions of the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, and may exhibit in their lives the high attainments of Christian holi

ness.

The Ministers of the word of God implore the prayers of their people. They reiterate the request, "Brethren, pray for us." Prayer should be offered for a succession of faithful Ministers. The

labourers die, the Prophets live not for ever, our fathers and brethren enter into their rest; but the residue of the Spirit is with the Lord, and still can he give holy Pastors to the churches, and enterprising Evangelists to the world. He can cause the mantle of his ascended servants to fall on many of the youthful bands in his church; and that there shall descend with it a "double portion" of that Spirit with which they were endued. It is the Holy Ghost who makes a man a true Minister of God; and without his sacred anointing,-outward calls, and official appointments, and learning, and eloquence, are as nothing.

Especially must prayer be offered for the success of our labours. Our nation needs an awakening ministry; our congregations need it : many of them are asleep in the light, and perish beneath the sound of mercy. We want to arouse them, to convert them, to save them, to win them to Christ: but this work is too mighty for us; it is a task to which we are unequal; it is eminently God's work. Let the men of Israel help; let those who know the power of prayer plead with God on our behalf, and pray that his Spirit may be poured upon all our congregations; so shall his word mightily grow and prevail; many will be the triumphs of his Gospel; the number of believers will be multiplied; and Mount Zion shall become the joy of the whole earth. For this purpose we exist as a Christian community. We are not united for political objects, nor are we raised to contend on subjects of "doubtful disputation." God made us a people to spread scriptural holiness through the nation and the world: if we are unfaithful to this trust, there will soon remain nothing of us but our name; and that will exist as our reproach. We shall be exhibited in the history of the church, as her warning in future years; and when our ministry shall have been removed, and our temples be dissolving in ruins, and their glory shall have departed, we shall be remembered only as instances of the divine judgments upon an unfaithful people. Fervent and united should be the prayer of our societies, through the length and breadth of the land, "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to this reproach."

It now remains that we consider,

III. The encouragements we have to hope that these means will be effectual. These are presented to our attention in several parts of the chapter which stand in close connexion with the text.

1. The relationship which God permits us to sustain to him, affords encouragement to offer this prayer: "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach." These expressions intimate care and interest. Men are concerned for the security of their property, and delight in their possessions. "The Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." He regards the members of his spiritual family with a delight and affection far beyond his pleasure in all the splendours of unintelligent creation.