ean be more emphatic, and at the same time more endearing. It includes all that the Almighty is as Creator, as Preserver, and as Benefactor, and inspires us with implicit confidence when approaching His footstool of mercy. The address of Hezekiah signifies what God is in Himself and what He is to His people. In Himself He is "the Lord of hosts," having all the armies of heaven, the inhabitants of earth, and the inmates of hell under His control. Over all He exerciseth absolute authority, swaying the sceptre of creation at His will, possessing all power and might, none daring to ask Him, Why doest thou this? or, Why not do otherwise?

He is not only the Lord of hosts, He is also "the God of Israel." He had chosen Israel of old to be His people, separate from the nations of the earth. He gave to Israel His law, and to Jacob His statutes, by which they were to serve Him exclusively; to have no other God but Him, nor to form any kind of image with the object of bowing to it and serving it. He impressed upon them the duty of their relationship by declaring, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." God has still His Israel upon earth, to whom He declares, " And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." And their duty, as of old, is to serve and worship Him exclusively.

5. Hezekiah acknowledges the high position which God occupies, and His condescension in hearing prayer. "That dwelleth between the cherubim." There is evidently a reference here to the symbol of Divine presence between the cherubim which stood over the ark and mercy-seat in the Temple of Solomon, and by which God revealed His pleasure to the high-priest in behalf of His people. As long as the Israelites were in a right state of mind, they always regarded that place with reverence and awe, as being the highest position which God's glory occupies upon earth.

God also says, "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool." On this throne He is surrounded by cherubim and seraphim, with all the spiritual intelligences of heaven, who incessantly acknowledge His power and magnify His

name. Isaiah saw Him seated upon a throne high and lofty; and St. John, when in the Isle of Patmos, saw a great multitude standing before the throne, who "cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God." By regarding Him thus exalted, we may well ask, with the Psalmist, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Reverence, therefore, becomes us when we approach Him in prayer. We should admire His condescension in stooping to regard those who are so lowly and unworthy.

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Finally, Hezekiah had a specific object of prayer: "Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear: open thine eyes, O Lord, and see and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God." "Now therefore, O Lord God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only." There was no uncertain sound in his language. He knew and felt what he wanted, he concentrated his thoughts upon that one subject, and poured out his heart in sincere and earnest supplication for the blessings which he needed.

The reason why our prayers seem to be so seldom answered is evidently because we have no especial aim, no clear, distinct, and definite object in approaching God. For the want of this determinateness and precise discrimination in our objects of transactions with God, we retire from our devotions without any vivid impressions of what we have been seeking of Him, consequently without the satisfaction of feeling that our prayers have been heard. It is not thus we ask favours of each other. A beggar at our door asking loosely for "nothing particular" would not be likely to meet with sympathy and relief. Corporate petitions to the senate or the throne without a fixed prayer and determinate request, would have neither attention nor a gracious answer. We have no reason to expect different and better results from

our indefinite and unsettled transactions with God. Look to the records of the Spirit, and you will discover that all the answers registered there, as in the case of Hezekiah, were specific replies to requests distinctly meant and proffered. Let us notice

II. The results of Hezekiah's prayer.

We

1. God sent him a message of assurance, confirmed by practical signs, that his prayer was heard, which we may see by reading from the twenty-first to the thirty-first verses of this chapter. How many such messages of mercy has God sent unto us! His word is replete with promises that our prayers when offered from a sincere heart shall be heard and answered. God may not always see fit to answer our prayers at once. He has sometimes an object in deferring the answer. We may not be sufficiently humbled in our own feelings. Our thoughts of Him may not be sufficiently exalted. Our dependence upon Him may not be sufficiently implicit. may not be yet in a proper state of mind to receive the blessing solicited. Our faith and patience, like those of Abraham, may need a little more trying. We should not probably rightly appreciate the favour did we receive it at once. It is, "man's extremity is God's opportunity." Nevertheless He is not less faithful to fulfil His promises. He "is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent." God knows as well as you that you need the blessing, and knows much better than you at what time it will do you the most good. Trust Him on His word. The sign has been given, and the blessing will come.

2. The enemies were conquered and destroyed. Read verses twenty-nine and thirty-six. Of that vast army that seemed bent upon the ruin of Jerusalem and all its inhabitants, not one of them was left except the King himself, who was allowed to escape that he might be the subject of a more signal judgment.

God is still the same. In answer to prayer He can, and does still, perform acts of signal interference. Often in

peculiar circumstances He gives, as in the case of Hezekiah, Providential deliverances. Have we not an instance of this kind in the history of our own country?

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Philip King of Spain formed a wicked design of invading Great Britain. For this purpose he equipped a formidable fleet called the "Invincible Armada," proudly boasting, like Sennacherib, that he would soon reduce the country under his sway. In the impending emergency thousands, like Hezekiah, "went into the house of the Lord," and prayed for deliverance. The consequence was that God with His tempest scattered and destroyed the powerful Armada, and those that were left fell a prey to the few ships which England was able to send against them. Thus shall all the enemies of the Lord and of His people perish. They may prosper for a season, they may be allowed to oppress the inheritance of God, but their ultimate defeat is certain, and their destruction inevitable.

3. There was not only immediate safety, but also future prosperity granted in answer to this prayer. Read verses thirty-one, thirty-two, and thirty-five. It is only for a season that God's people are in difficulties and distress, their future prospects are bright and cheering. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Whether we apply this to the Church collectively or to the Christian individually, we may rest assured that the fruition of prosperity and happiness will succeed their temporary trials in this world. "For the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this."

In conclusion, brethren, Do we inherit the spirit and devotion of Hezekiah? If we do, we need not fear the taunts and reproaches of our enemies. Though they may tyrannise over us for a season, yet their destruction and our deliverance are at hand.

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The Sunday after Christmas day.

EVENING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Jude.

Verses 20, 21." But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

THE apostle Jude was cousin of our Lord, and brother of James the less. It is unknown when he was called to the apostleship, but he is mentioned in the list by St. Matthew under the name of Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddeus. His name does not stand forth prominently among his fellow apostles in the New Testament. St. John only mentions him as taking any forward steps when he asked our Saviour, "How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world?" He is found amongst his brethren after the ascension of their Master; as the rest, he received the power of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost. The scene of his future labours was for some time in Judea; but it is said that he afterwards preached in Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, and some think that he suffered martyrdom in the latter country.

His object in writing this epistle was to counteract the pernicious influence of a class of sceptical and corrupt teachers who had "crept " into the Church, neither fearing God nor regarding man. The epistle is short but comprehensive, richly illustrated by the most thrilling facts and similes. Those teachers, he says, not only disregarded all human authority, speaking evil of dignities; but also denied the fact of God's punishing man in the world to come for his evil conduct in this world. They were guided solely by their