way, walk ye in it."

We must first acknowledge

him, and then he will direct our paths.

66

It is by Prayer that we must bring down the Divine blessing on our endeavours. Many noble purposes are formed in the minds of unregenerate men, which yet are as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up: wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom." Nor is it any wonder that those efforts should be blasted which are undertaken without a reference to God, and which, if they succeeded, would confirm men in a conceit of their own sufficiency. God is a jealous God, and his glory will he not give to another. Hence he is interested, as it were, in disconcerting the plans of those who disregard him, and in prospering the concerns of those who humbly implore his aid. Agreeably to this, we find in the sacred records, that the most powerful armaments and best concerted projects have been defeated when God was not acknowledged, and that the weaker have triumphed gloriously when they sought the Divine favour and protection. In one instance, more particularly, we see the Prayer of faith blended with human exertions, and it was made manifest, for the instruction of that and all future generations, that whatever means God himself might use, Prayer was the most powerful of all weapons. When the hands of Moses hanged down through weariness, Amalek prevailed over Israel; but when he held up his hands, Israel prevailed over Amalek; so that, in fact, it was the Prayer of Moses, rather than the Sword of Joshua, that gained the victory. It is in this way also that we must vanquish our spiritual enemies. We must fight against them in

deed, and seek their utter destruction; but our reliance must be altogether upon God, whose blessings we must obtain in a way of Prayer. In vain shall we attempt to combat Satan in any other way. He laughs at an arm of flesh, and yields to Omnipotence alone. To him may be justly applied that lofty description of Leviathan; "Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish-spears? Behold, the hope of him is in vain : shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. Darts are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of the spear. He is a king over all the children of pride." But Prayer he cannot withstand: the man who fights upon his knees is sure to vanquish him; and the weakest Christian in the universe, if he has but a heart to pray, may say with David, "I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised : so shall I be saved from mine enemies."-SIMEON.

THE CHRISTIAN WRESTLING."

HARK, 'tis a martial sound!
To arms, ye saints, to arms!
Your foes are gathering round,

And peace has lost its charms;
Prepare the Helmet, Sword, and Shield,
The trumpet calls you to the field.

" Ephes. vi. 12.

No common foes appear

To dare you to the fight, But such as own no fear,

And glory in their might;

The powers of darkness are at hand :
Resist, or bow to their command.

An arm of flesh must fail

In such a strife as this;

He only can prevail

Whose arm immortal is :

'Tis Heaven itself the strength must yield,

And weapons fit for such a field.

And Heaven supplies them too;

The Lord who never faints

Is greater than the foe,

And he is with his saints:

Thus armed they venture to the fight,
Thus armed they put their foes to flight.

And when the conflict's past,

On yonder peaceful shore

They shall repose at last

And see their foes no more;

The fruits of victory enjoy,

And never more their arms employ.

KELLY.