when we say-How fine is the day! How full is the earth of the goodness of the Lord? No, as "the servant of God," he is "warned" thereby-" cleanse me-keep me back from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion-let the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord." Thus (doubtless by reason of use, for he "exercised himself in the word of God day and night,") was the mind of the Psalmist "exercised to discern both good and evil "-and if such is not at present our practice, let us pray that it may be so, for as the devout Baxter observes, "there is a voice in all the works of God; for they are God's books that teach us by shewing forth his greatness, and wisdom, and goodness, and calling us to observe them and admire the Creator." Psalm xx. is a prayer of Israel for David, and of the Church for the Messiah. Psalm xxi. is a song of praise to God who had answered those prayers. They may, therefore, be viewed as forming one whole. A very appropriate instance of the same connection of the prayer and its fulfilment will be found in Psalm cxxxii. where the two parts correspond more closely than in the compositions before us. The reply, indeed, there contained in verses 13-18, to the prayer in verses 8-10, are most remarkably close and full-and here we find verses 4-7 of Psalm xx. abundantly answered in verses 1–7 of Psalm xxi.-reminding us of the words of the Apostle who ascribed "glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." After the thrice repeated mention of Salvation in Psalm xx., how sublime is the outburst "The king shall joy in thy strength, and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!" Remark, too, Christian reader, the transport of devotion of "joy unspeakable and full of glory," in verses 5, 6—“ His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.. For thou hast made him most

blessed for ever, (Hebrew: set him to be blessings), thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance." (Hebrew: gladded him with joy.)

"where is our love, and where our hearts," that we are not moved by such words as these? What are onr hearts that they do not "burn within us," as from the touch of a "live coal from off the altar," on reading such glowing language as this? Full, indeed, as the language is, it is evidently unable to convey all that was in the heart of the writer-for " 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." (1. Cor. ii. 9, 10) Before concluding the observations furnished by these most precious portions of Scripture, we give the explanation generally received of the last verse of the former Psalm, which may be rendered, "O Lord, save the king: he shall (or let him, i.e. the Lord) hear us when we call :" and further, we would call attention to the strength of the original language-best exhibited in the marginal readings-thus "from his holy heaven," is from the heaven of his holiness; "with the saving strength of his right hand," is by the strength of the salvation of his right hand. God is said to prevent the king with the blessings of goodness; and the effect of this is (verse 6) that he is "set to be blessings,”—a wonderful expression, properly referred to the Saviour of mankind. Compare with it Psalm lxxii. 17, “Men shall be blessed in him-all nations shall call him blessed." Thus most beautifully and instructively does the language of the New Testament agree with these last words, setting forth that "the name of the Lord Jesus is glorified in his people, and he in them, according to the grace of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ "-to whom be glory in the Church throughout all ages, world without end.-Amen, W, S,

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THE THREE SISTERS.

There are three sisters dwelling together in great peace and happiness.. I will not tell my readers the names of these sisters until I have described them more fully; nor will I as yet say where it is that they dwell. The eldest sister is distinguished for her trust in God and in her Saviour, believing in all the promises and threatenings of his word. This belief in the blessed truths of the Gospel causes her not only to love her sisters, but even her enemies, and to bring forth many good works which testify the sincerity of her belief.-The second sister is like her in many respects; only particularly cheerful in her deportment-ever looking on the bright side of objects, and regarding the future as if present; her chief delight being in the anticipation of joys to come, and thus continually supporting the drooping spirits of her more sober-minded sisters.-The third sister is the loveliest of the three-the most engaging in her deportment-the most patient, kind-hearted, humble-minded, unselfish creature in the world. She unites in her own person all the virtue, piety and devotion of her sisters; and in all these Christian qualities she never faileth, and without her presence her sisters would pine and die, she is so indispensable to their comfort and existence. Think how they must love her!-how she must love them! She is the very pattern of Christian perfection-she envies no onebears no malice-bestows her goods freely on the poorthinketh evil of no one-hath no pride, no covetousness -endureth reproaches meekly for Christ's sake-returning good for evil-and rejoicing in the truth!

But I have said enough about these three sisters; my readers will have guessed who they are, and where they dwell. May they be found dwelling with each of us in that delightful form in which the Apostle Paul has described them in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corin

thians, concluding with this verse-"Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity!" ALPHA.

PRAYER AND FASTING.

This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. What kind ? A kind of hard, inveterate devils, that get into the heart and stay there. They used of old to take the form of lunatics, and often cast men into the fire, and often into the water. But they have changed somewhat their mode of operation; and having become more refined and quiet, more cunning and less tangible, are far more difficult to be cast out. They know better how to keep concealed, and how to act without violence. They used to inhabit only the hearts of pagans and men dead in trespasses and sins; but since they have tried successfully the experiment of going into a heart empty and swept and garnished, and set up an establishment there, they will steal into the hearts of Christian people, yea, sometimes seven devils of them together, making no noise, but all so quietly and gradually, that the poor deceived heart does not even know of their entrance.

But when they have so got in, it is sad havoc that they make with a man's piety: They fill the heart with tombs and desert places; they cast out its warm affections, and introduce habits of coldness and conformity to this world. They go so far, oftentimes, as to make secret prayer and family prayer to become a mere form and a burthen, and the word of God a sealed, unattractive book. Sometimes for a season they get so completely the mastery, that there is nothing in the heart or the habits that can be called secret prayer at all. But when this is the case, then generally they are on the eve of some daring and riotous outbreak. They will take possession of men thus

secretly mastered, as if they were swine, and will make them run violently down the steep places of their passions into the sea, and perish in the waters. And they who do not go thus outwardly lunatic are none the less to be pitied, so long as the devils stay secretly within them, and wander from room to room, eating up all the piety they can find, and destroying all the soul's spiritual power and comfort.

This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. But a man who has had these devils a long time, gets entirely out of the habit of such prayer and fasting as are requisite to overcome them. They are like rats, that stay and thrive in houses where there is much feasting and good cheer. Where there is little prayer and fasting, they have all things to their own mind, and grow strong and multiply. Then it becomes more and more difficult for the man that entertains these devils to pray and fast but yet prayer and fasting become more and more necessary, if he would ever get back the command over himself, if he would have the Lord Jesus overcome and bind and cast out the devils, and the Holy Spirit enter and make the heart's chamber his own pure and peaceful abode.

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In all spiritual duties, when there is the greatest necessity for them by reason of the sad declining state of the heart, then they are the most tedious and difficult. It is so with fasting and prayer, when there are many devils. And sometimes a man gets into such a state that you might as easily move a mountain with a bodkin, as set him of a truth to fasting and prayer. When there has been a long period of worldliness, comfort and ease, when Ephraim in prosperity has got settled on his lees, it is a very difficult thing to disturb him. The mere formal observance of a day of prayer and fasting will not do it. Oh no, that will not do it. Many a man may go without his dinner to frighten the devils, but invite

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