the affections on right objects and in due bounds." And to all this carefulness and strictness, we should be impelled by the consideration, that only from a heart well kept can come the issues of life.

O my soul, engaged as thou art in conflict with the law in thy members, art thou not persuaded of the necessity of diligently guarding thyself against the intrusion of thy enemies? Thought is subtle, and thou must restrain its wanderings; thy appetites and desires are lawless, and thou must hold them in check. Thy foes are numerous and artful, and thou must guard every avenue against their entrance. Wouldst thou have life and peace, thou must have holiness; and holiness thou canst not have unless thou art vigilant, diligent, and faithful. Keep thyself in the fear of God; keep aloof from sin; keep near thy Saviour, and let the life which thou livest be by the faith of the Son of God. Forget not, that, in thus keeping thyself, thou art kept not by thy own strength, but by the power of God through faith unto salvation. This is for thy encouragement, as well as for thy security.

STEADFASTNESS OF PURPOSE.

LET thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet,

and let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.

THE experience of every man will teach him, that while there is much facility in sinning, difficulties are to be surmounted in the accomplishment of every virtuous purpose. Hence the necessity for decision and steadfastness of purpose. To the indolent and undecided there is ever "a lion in the path," and the apprehension of difficulty paralyzes their efforts and makes them content with inglorious inactivity. Most men float with the tide, and as it is easy, they unconsciously glide onward until, when too late for rescue, they find the placid stream converted into the dashing rapids and engulphing cataract. Resistance to this natural indolence is essential if we would live to any good purpose. We must resolve, we must decide, we must unappalled encounter every obstacle, and persevere until we find the difficulties in our path, one after another, triumphantly surmounted.

In ordinary worldly pursuits we discover that they only reach the goal who set out with steadfastness of purpose. In religion it is still more necessary. Besides all the unfriendly circumstances from without, which conspire to retard our course, we have a corrupt nature which is fiercely hostile to the dominant influence of religion. The contention with the latter is

more severe than with the former. Were the heart right, we might with comparative ease overcome the opposition from without; but the necessity for resolution becomes obvious, when we have to watch the traitors within the fortress, as well as the assailants without.

It need scarcely be said, that under such untoward circumstances we should hazard nothing on a determination made in our own strength. We must have help from God. He must strengthen and sanctify our purposes. He must infuse vigour into our plans, and for his aid, earnest and importunate prayer should be offered. The stake is invaluable; its security is worth a struggle.

It is a characteristic of some that for a time they run well, and are then hindered; their religion is as evanescent "as the morning cloud and early dew which passeth away." The secret of their failure is the unsteadiness of their purpose. They have not sufficiently appreciated the object at which they aim; they have not reckoned the difficulties of the enterprise; and hence their infirm purposes give way under the first pressure. Others go through the warfare with a heroism which is not to be daunted, and they dream not of relaxing, until the crown of victory is achieved. What is the secret of their success? They feel the value of heaven; they know the salvation of the soul is precious; they are persuaded that all the enticements of sin, however painted to deceive, are enemies in disguise; they know the prize may be lost by compromising, parleying or hesitating, and hence for their lives they press toward the mark, with their backs to the world and their faces directed heavenward. With

such determination failure is impossible. The most formidable antagonist quails and retires before the Christian, who encounters him in the strength of the Lord, and with a firm purpose to conquer.

My soul, thou hast many enemies watching for thy destruction. They are vigilant, powerful, and not to be despised. Propose no conditions of amity with them. They will deceive. Resolve to resist them unto death. Accomplish thy warfare manfully. Jesus overcame, and in him thou mayest triumph. He can impart strength to thy weak arm, and courage to thy failing heart. Persevere, for thy contest will be soon over. A few years at most will close thy warfare, and then thou wilt be elevated above all adverse influences, and as Christ overcame and is set down with his Father on his throne, so thou shalt overcome and sit down with the Saviour on his throne.

TRUST IN GOD.

TRUST in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be made fat.

The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

How emphatically does the word of God dissuade against a misplaced confidence; and how necessary the dissuasive, since it has become one of the most striking features of our apostacy, that we are disposed to trust in anything but God! The rich trust in their wealth, the wise in their wisdom, the subject in his ruler, the sick in his physician, and in short, whatever may be our circumstances of want or danger, there is always some false refuge to which we are disposed to flee. Why should it be so? Has experience justified such expedients? On the contrary, is not the world strewed with the wrecks of human expectations and hopes, which have been built upon the sand? He that leans upon the world in any of its multifarious contrivances, will, sooner or later, discover that he leans upon a broken reed, which will pierce, but not sustain him.

Driven from this alternative, are we left unsupported in our weakness and infirmity? We are not necessarily so, for there is One, in whom we can trust without reserve, and without apprehension of disappointment.