beloved relative, and his hopes blafted by the lofs of property, ftill he cleaves to earth. The power of the Almighty alone can help him. He needs a new principle of feeling and of action; even that of faith that overcomes the world. Obtaining this principle, he looks not at the things that are seen, but at those which are unseen.

The genuine Chriftian convert has many conflicts ere he can set his affections on the things above. Worldly Love oppoies him perfeveringly; in his religious experience; in his felf-denying duties; in his givings, and in his fufferings. The Chriftian, however, knows that he must conquer that foe, or perifh-therefore he fets himself to meditate upon his duty-he fearches the Scriptures-he finds that God's enemies are those who mind earthly things, he wishes not to join them that the love of the world is hatred to God-if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; and animated by the example of Chrift his Lord, who left heaven for man, he renounces earth for God. He dies to the world and lives to Chrift. As a foldier of Jefus he fights under his banners, and comes off more than a conqueror through Him who has loved him.

Unbelief is a gigantic foe. He is indeed the champion of all the reft, peculiarly skilful and bold in his attacks. He knows how to fhift his ground adroitly. Sometimes he affails vehemently, denying Christianity itself; nay, the very

existence of the Almighty, declaring that “God is nature, and that there is no other god," and that "death is an eternal fleep." Thus by one ftroke he would fweep away the being and attributes of the Eternal; the doctrines, promises, and commandments of the word of God, man's responsibilities, and confequent duties. Were this ftroke fucceffful, it would deprive man of all happiness in this life, and of the confolations of hope in the life that is after death. It expels him a second time from paradise into a defert where not even thorns and briars fpring up for his fupport.

Unbelief, however, does not always act fo boldly. Sometimes he admits the existence of God, and the fubject of religion in general, but denies that man owes duties to the former, or that he is interested in the latter. He will even approve of the form of religion, provided there is no power, no faith, no Holy Spirit in it. Unbelief in this form deftroys thousands of immortal fouls who profefs Chrift, yet, not having true faith, in works deny him. He that believeth not fhall be damned.

to.

Sometimes unbelief attacks the Christian under the garb of benevolence. He pities and deplores moft feelingly, the present evils that flesh is heir He promises you a terrestrial heaven. But, firft, the prefent order of things muft be abolished. All institutions, political and religious, must be abrogated. The foundations of society must be broken up-its frame-work diffolved—

that is to fay, a perfect chaos must be made, out of which fhall arife a perfect paradife. You must first pass through a vaft howling wilderness where no water is, and then (if indeed your carcass does not fall in the wilderness) you will be conducted into the promised land.

In thefe ways does unbelief make his onfets, fuiting his methods to the difpofitions of the age, or to the circumftances of individuals. The Christian repels them with the fhield of faith, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. He poffeffes the divine word which is full of promises, and that faith which is a deep conviction of things not feen, and the fubftance or foundation of things hoped for. Therefore

he gives no quarter to unbelief; God hath spoken, it is enough. There is a mansion for him; he will poffefs it. His Saviour has conquered and reigns. He will conquer and reign alfo. He beholds by faith, a glorious manfion, a palm of victory, a fong of triumph, a crown of life. Animated by the profpect, he fights his way through all his foes, and as he fights he fings

"The glorious crown of Righteoufness,
To me reached out, I view,

Conqueror through Chrift, I foon fhall rife,
And wear it as my due."

THE IMPERIAL PHILANTHROPIST.

The hapless crew upon the reef are caft;
And round them rages wild the furious blaft;

Deep calls to deep with wide-mouthed thundering roal,
Loud beat the billows on the rock-bound fhore;

Crash after crash is heard with fearful fhock,
As the boat dashes on the craggy rock.
The affrighted crew nor fkill nor courage have,
To fave their bark from the devouring wave;
Ruffia's great Czar beholds them on the reef,
And nobly haftens to afford relief:

Boldly he plunges in the boiling waves,
And all the fury of the tempeft braves;
He leaps on board, and with a skilful hand,
Through rocks and breakers, brings them fafe to land.

WE have here a picture of danger and of deliverance. Peter the Great, Emperor of all the Ruffias, had been failing in one of his yachts as far as the Ladoga Lake; finding himself refreshed by the fea-breeze, inftead of landing at St. Peterfburg, he failed down the Neva toward the open fea of the gulph of Finland. The day had been very fine; toward evening, however, the weather fuddenly changed; the emperor refolved to land, but he had scarcely reached the shore, when the ftorm burst forth in all its fury. The waves rofe and beat against the craggy rocks of the coaft, and the wind roared from the wild fky with a thundering voice; in a few minutes a black cloud, let down like a curtain, hid the scene from view. Still, however, the emperor looked and liftened; he thought he heard the voice of distress mingling with the yell of the ftorm; his penetrating glance foon discovered a boat struggling against the rolling furge, that was driving it towards the furious breakers. The men, most of them being foldiers, are evidently at a loss what to do; presently the boat is dashed upon a reef;