should be, than what we truly seek; and I fear some might be found, shunning falsehood with their fellowmen who do not speak truth to their God." "But it cannot be, aunt, that we should pray for every thing we wish for much. Consider how we change, and changing circumstances around us too make the object of last week's hope, the object also of next week's fear. Would not we have sometimes to ask the Lord not to give us what we had previously sought or if bestowed, to take it away again? And would not this be insulting to the Majesty of the Most High?" "In arguing for temporal petitions, I did not mean to convey the impression, that we should go boldly to the throne of grace, with unexamined hearts, craving each day the gratification of some new desire, some pretty toy, that we, like petted children, would quickly break and cast away; we must ever remember, that whatsoever we do is to be done to the glory of God, and irrespective of this, not a petition should ever be made. But there are many things around us, the possession of which, we may honestly conclude, would enable us better to glorify our Lord; things not necessarily sinful, which we would like to have, if they came from our Father's hand; and then, I mean to say, the possibility of our being mistaken on this matter, is no reason why we should hide from him the wish of our hearts." "But aunt, the prayers of the Israelites for temporal things drew down judgments upon them." "Because, dear Alice, rebellion against the authority of Jehovah, lay at the root of those petitions ; they were clamorous demands for earthly things which God granted in displeasure, sending with the request, leanness into their souls;' (Ps. cvi. 15.) and again, giving them a king" in his anger." Hosea xiii. 9. Of this nature were the prayers of which the Apostle speaks, as being rejected. 'Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.' James iv. 3. The murmur of discontent, is not the voice of the faithful believer. Many sought Christ for the loaves and fishes, and many still come to God for his blessings; they like to be blessed in their basket and in their store,' and to have their barns full and plenteous,' rather than to increase in spiritual holiness. When it is so, then they piously confess the Judge of all the earth does right; with more than heart can wish, they find it easy to be content with such things as they have,' and Satan might assert truly concerning them, as he did falsely of Job, 'Put forth now thine hand, and touch all that they have, and they will curse thee to thy face."" Job i. 11. 6 "Well, aunt, St. Paul had the glory of God in view, when he made request that by any means he might visit his beloved Roman converts. And after all, his prayer was sorrowfully granted when two years subsequent, he was brought to Rome bound with chains." Rom. i. 10; Acts xxviii. 16-20. "Not so, he counted not his life dear unto himself; some believed the truths he spake, others, doubtless, were established in the faith; he saw that this dispensation had fallen out unto the furtherance of the gospel,' (Phil. i. 12,) and rejoiced that it was given unto him to suffer for Christ's sake." "And would you apply the text, Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive,' to temporal things?" Matt. xxii. 22. "I would not, for there is no promise given that the Lord will grant us all we desire in this way. He did not remove the thorn in the flesh from the apostle, yet the answer vouchsafed was sufficient to enable him to glory in his infirmities,' (2 Cor. xii. 8,) and we may remember for our encouragement the request granted at the well of Nahor, even before it was fully spoken, and the boon accorded to the afflicted Hannah. Gen. xxiv. 15; 1 Sam. i. "If her request had been denied, would she not have been more than ever dejected, dear aunt?" "A petition preferred in a true spirit of submissiveness, tends more than anything to increase resignation into cheerful acquiescence; and those who have borne the burden of unshared grief, well know what a happiness it is to have one to whom it can be unfolded. There is, however, a distinction made between our prayers for temporal and spiritual blessings, which we ought not to forget. In one place it is said, "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need;' (Heb. iv. 16,) in another, Let your requests be made known in every thing with prayer and supplication; ' (Phil. iv. 6,) For mercy and grace we are to come boldly, as importunate beggars who cannot take refusal; for other things we are to make our requests known,-to submit them to God's consideration, to leave them in His hands, in quiet, peaceful trust. Our confidence towards our God is, that When we ask anything according to his will, we know he heareth us.' 1 John v. 14. · "This puts a great limitation to earthly petitions, aunt; not many of the things which are according to God's will, are those the children of Adam sigh to possess. Thus, for instance, riches, the world's idol, that for which some barter their souls; Satan's captives, 'fettered to the oar of gain,' and which even Christians are sometimes betrayed into wishing for, that they might as they think, do more to glorify their Lord, while it is expressly said, 'Labour not to be rich; and, they that will be rich fall into a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, that drown men in destruction and perdition,'” Prov. xxxiii. 4 ; 1 Tim. vi. 9. 6 "With the prayer, 'lead us not into temptation,' daily on our lips, wealth ought never to be an object of desire; having food and raiment we should be therewith content,' and experience continually proves that the safest state for us, is that petitioned for by Agur—' Give me neither poverty nor riches.” ” Prov. xxx. 8. "I know, aunt, we are not to seek self-exaltation, from the answer of our Lord to the sons of Zebedee." "It is expressly forbidden also-'Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.' Jer. xlv. 5. In every instance the way to greatness was by a painful path: neither riches nor exalted station was the portion of the only Being who ever chose his lot on earth; and James the son of Zebedee, who sought to share his Master's glory, was the first of the twelve Apostles who wore the Martyr's crown." Acts xii. 66 It is certainly permitted to us to pray for deliverance from illness or heavy trial, aunt. Christ prayed in Gethsemane, and Hezekiah in his sick getting to add, not my will, but thine!' Our dear Lord drank a cup of woe none of his people can be called to partake of. He bent at once beneath the imputed guilt of a polluted world, and the hiding of the Father's face: and though Hezekiah was not wrong in seeking the Lord, and not the physicians only, like Asa, (2 Chron. xvi. 12,) still he lived to fall into error. Like Peter, his heart was lifted up with pride, and the word of reproof quickly followed the word of acceptance; God left him to try him, and there was wrath upon him and upon Judah. Matt. xvi. 17-23; 2 Chron xxxii. 25. It is the privilege of the true child of God, always to rejoice in Him, not less when he is in darkness than when the lamp of the Lord shines upon him. Psalm xviii. 28; Job xxix. 3. To grow in meetness for the heavenly inheritance, is the great object of the believer's life; he does not seek the kingdom of God first, in order that all other things may be added unto him, nor does he calculate what profit shall we have if we pray unto him?' (Job xxi. 15,) but, with affections touched by the magnet of divine love, the aspiration of his soul is, 'Father, glorify thy name; '-if for this, sorrow be needed to call forth Christian graces, or purge away earthly dross, he is ready to say, "Come then affliction, if my Father bids, He knows he shall not have a needless pang, and he would not that one should be wanting." Worldlings betake themselves to prayer, aunt, when oppressed with grief or trial." "Yes, Alice, there be many who 'pour out a |