against the world, the flesh, and the devil, with all his wiles and cunning craftiness whereby he waits to deceive? But "God is our refuge and strength;" and 2 Chron. xvi. 9. See what David says and take courage; Psalm xviii. 30, and cxl. 7; yes, he who once desponding cried, "I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul," could now testify that God had "covered his head in the day of battle," could exultingly exclaim, Psalm xxvii. 1; could set his seal to that Psalm cxxv. 1, 2; and mark, dear friends, he does not say they may be as Mount Zion, but they shall be, not that such was the case then only, but henceforth even for ever. Yes, HE who said to Abram, "Fear not," says the same to you, "wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees;" and look what God says of Jacob's trial, Jer. xxx. 7, that though no day was like it, yet he should be saved out of it, nay, 11th verse, he says, "I am with thee to save thee;" see also Isaiah xxvii. 3, and Prov. xiv. 26.

Another safeguard is a thorough knowledge of your great and glorious Saviour, accompanied with a corresponding one of yourself; for feeling your own emptiness you will cleave to him in whom alone is the sufficiency for your wants, and seeing his beauty and glory, you will not be willing to give Him up, but will answer with St. Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go, THOU hast the words of eternal life;" no,

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no man after he has drunk old wine desireth new, for he saith the old is better," and so it will be with you; after having tasted that He is good, after having known the love of God which passeth human knowledge, and been taught to see His fitness for you, you will not readily be satisfied with belonging to the church, you

will not consent to his being preached with reserve.' A third safeguard you will find in bringing their tenets to the test of Scripture, in " trying the spirits whether they be of God;" but your chief weapon of defence must be fourthly, PRAYER; praying always, without ceasing, continuing instant in it. St. Paul shews that this must be our chief dependence, for after exhorting the Ephesians to take unto them "the whole armour of God," specifying each separate piece, he sums up all with "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" yes, it is this which makes the Christian's armour bright; and oh, my dearest friends, what encouragements do the scriptures afford us in doing this; how many instances have we of the efficacy of prayer; the time would indeed fail me to mention them; look at David's testimony in the cviith Psalm; in four distinct places does he say, "then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses;" and see what God himself promises, Psalm xci. 15, " He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him;" again, "whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," and lastly, our dear Saviour's testimony, "ask and it SHALL be given you, ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full;" see, dear friends, He not only wills your safety, but your joy also, therefore come boldly to a throne of grace, and you shall find that the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in their time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them, He shall deliver them from the wicked and save

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them, because they trust in Him. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is HE that calleth you, who also WILL do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, amen and amen." Your affectionate Brother in Christ,

N. C.

MOST EXTRAORDINARY ANNOUNCEMENT FROM "BABYLON THE GREAT."

THE Pope is sending a new Bishop to the East, to oppose the work of God in that quarter: this is nothing marvellous. But what will our readers think when they hear the title chosen for this emissary of Rome? The Bishop of Jerusalem,—our Bishop, has his diocese marked out, comprising Syria, Chaldea, Egypt, and Abyssinia: none of these titles are applied to the missionary from the seven-hilled city: we find from the Tablet,' the official organ of Romanism in England, that he is styled, The Bishop of BABYLON!

If he who runs cannot read such a sign as this, he must be blind-folded with no little skill.-EDITOR.

A FACT.

MADAM,

ONE who admires your Protestant principles, will feel obliged by the insertion of the following "Fact," in the Christian Lady's Magazine.

We were playmates together during the sunny days of childhood: often did we go hand-in-hand into the fields and coppices during the gay months of spring to cull the butter-cup, and putting it to each other's chin, laughed at the golden reflection it caused. The dandelion too with its yellow flower was pulled with eagerness, and we made chains of its hollow stem, and bound them around each other's necks "to hold the prisoner fast ;" and in the winter we had many a game at blindman's buff, and puss in the corner, &c. We parted-years have since rolled away, and the little boy and girl have arrived at years of maturity. A short time since I visited the scene of our early sports, and was welcomed by his sister, a joint playmate, now grown a beautiful and graceful woman. But W. was not there, and I almost dreaded to enquire for him, lest in the years of separation the grave had closed over him, and I might recal pangs, the bitterness of which had passed in the lapse of time. During the first evening I spent at C., my companion had heaved many a sigh, which told me that with all earth's possessions which she could desire, there was some aching void within.

At length, as if unable longer to restrain her overburdened heart, she said to her mamma, "What would I give to-night to see dear W.' 'I have no doubt you would, Emma, but you know it cannot be,' was the reply. Even then, I feared to ask an explanation; but seeing me cast an enquiring glance at her, she said, 'You remember him?' 'Oh perfectly,' I said, 'I hope he still lives.' 'Yes, he is at D. * * where he is preparing for the priesthood, and he must not visit us for ten years.' I could hardly refrain from tears; for although in childhood we saw no difference in each other, since then I had learned the full import of the vast dissimilarity in the creeds of Romanism, and Protestantism as professed by the Church of England. In this latter 1 had been brought up, and thanks to the grace of God, have a hope of immortality, through the blood of Jesus alone, while I know how difficult, nay, how almost impossible it is for Roman Catholics, amidst all the mediators and mummeries of their system, to make faith in the blood shed on Calvary the ground of their salvation: and I heard that my young friends were to be educated in that faith. Emma remarked that her brother had lately been to London to take his degree, but though within fifty miles of the home of his youth, he was forbidden to enter it. How forcibly did I here perceive the working of that system, one of whose characteristic marks is contempt for the use of the affections bestowed by our Creator. It might be, had poor W. returned to the scenes of his childhood, some object of attachment might have presented itself, and he might not, as it were, so mechanically have entered into the observances of a priesthood which, contrary to the example of the Jewish law