assembled. "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

Faith in power, will also take possession of whatever it desires. "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." The invincible faith of this woman not only gathered arguments from the repulses of the Saviour, by turning about his reasons for denying her request" the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table"-but the accomplishment of its object went to prove that her faith was equal to whatever she willed. Thus, if we believe in Jesus, we shall be able to receive him into our hearts; and when once he is ours, then will everything that we can desire be ours; "for he who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things."

But in this woman of Canaan there were other things than her faith that were remarkable. We may notice her modesty, in desiring to have only a crumb. She did not ask to be fed with the children's bread; only might she be allowed to partake of the crumbs that fell under the table, she should be satisfied; yea, thankful.

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Remarkable also, was her humility. This grace being wrought in us by the Holy Ghost is consequently an evidence that its possessor is a child of God. a necessary grace, an essential passport to the kingdom of heaven. A proud man would not be admitted into the paradise above, for God resisteth the proud. Jesus makes it a necessary qualification in all who aspire to the glories of the upper world, that they should become as "little children," meek, and lowly, and dependent. "Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in

the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Jesus tried this woman of Canaan, and proved her; not only that she had an abounding faith, but also that she abounded in humility; and that, consequently, in the spiritual sense, she was a true Canaanite.

He called her a dog! an appellation that, had it been applied to a proud man, would have called up all the indignation and wrath that ever fired the sons of hell. But how did this pattern of all modern Christians receive it? She admitted it; she replied, “Truth, Lord;" as if she had said, I am conscious I deserve no better name. You have truly penetrated into what I am; I am nothing better than a dog; but though a dog, I need something from my master's board; dogs must have sustenance. This was humility of the highest order.

My readers, let me lead you to look into your own hearts. Who among us could bear being called a dog? Who among us would not have taken offence at the application of such an epithet? I will tell you: the man or woman who is without pride! "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

In the case of this woman of Canaan, we see the result of persevering prayer—" And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." Prayer may be defined to be the desire of the heart, whether audibly expressed or not. Words are frequently used that are called prayer, and that are intended to be prayer, but yet are anything else than prayer, because the senti

ments that are expressed do not come from the heart : and this is the difference between prayer and the form of prayer. Prayer, to be effective, must be earnest ; but it cannot be earnest unless it is felt; to be effective, it must be offered in faith-" All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive;" that is, all things that are conducive to the good of those who prefer the request, and which tend to the glory of God. And that this expression "all things" may not be overstrained, let it be understood that the prayer must have reference to some promise; the faith that is in exercise must be a discerning principle, not a blind faith, and then it will obtain whatever has been promised that relates either to the Christian's good or God's glory.

But there are many promises that were never intended for private Christians; many that relate to the church in general; many that were made for special purposes; and of old for particular persons. Such cannot be expected to be obtained in our day; therefore, a discerning faith is a necessary feature in believing prayer, in order to its efficacy. Prayer, to be effective, must also have reference to the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. The veriest infant in Christianity cannot suppose that we are deserving of anything at the hand of God. Having broken his laws, and rebelled against his government, we necessarily need a Mediator who will intercede for us, and offer our prayers, with the much incense of his blood, at the throne of the heavenly grace: " for every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; and we have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens." Not in our own name, therefore, but in the name of Jesus, must prayer and supplication be made; for thus has he taught us:

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Prayer, to be effective, must also be persevering. Perhaps there is no comparison better illustrative, although very familiar, than that of a beggar at the door: if you refuse to give him anything, yet must you do it again, for it is a rare thing that he will turn away for the first or second denial, but he will beg on, and when the door is shut he will beg through the key-hole; and if a veteran at the trade, he will importune so thick and strong, and apply his arguments so closely, that you cannot choose but give him something and this is a fit representation of what the Christian should be at the throne of grace, and if, indeed, his prayer comes from the heart, he will take no denial. If a veteran at the trade, he will argue the case with God; he will back his petition by pleading the promises that have reference to the subject of his prayer; he will be importunate if God seems to hide his face; if shut up, he will pray through the keyhole; if the eternal" answers him not a word," he will at last take heaven by holy violence.

The woman of Canaan was not to be put off with hard names; "It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it unto dogs." Although she had had three repulses, and the last the most severe, yet she was not to be turned away from her suit; no, though a poor pagan, she proved herself, in the presence of the Saviour, to be a veteran at the trade; an example for many a doctor of divinity. Observe; she did not stop to shew that she was not a dog; she manifested no feeling; she did not retort, but passed by the reproach to argue her cause. She was a wonderful woman; an eminent example; a pattern of patient persevering prayer: "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat

of the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Oh, glorious triumphant faith! and this is thy reward— "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt; and her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

Is there a sinful reader desirous of the pardon of his sins-desirous of an interest in the Redeemer's atonement-who, feeling the torment of sin, wishes to be free? Oh, my friend, this is the way to obtain it; follow the example of this woman of Canaan. When you plead your case before God, be in earnest, be importunate, be persevering, and you shall experience a gracious result.

When prayer comes short of an answer, either there is something defective in it, in the nature of the petition or in the way in which it is preferred, or the time has not arrived when God will vouchsafe to comply with the request. I have known a Christian persevere in a particular request twelve or fourteen years before he obtained his desire; and in that space of time he had frequent occasion to examine himself, and the nature of his petition, and the necessity of its accomplishment; and to institute a comparison with the promises of God's word: and think you he did not find his advantage in this examination? think you the delay was not sanctified to his soul, and the result precious?" At the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and will not tarry."

In the spirit of the woman of Canaan has many a prayer been put up for children; for ungodly children, which has not been answered until after the death of parents: " and Jesus spake a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."

In winding up this interesting narrative, we learn our duty in prayer, not to give over at a first or second