say "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."-Ps. ii. 3. "Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths."-Prov. ii. 13.

Can the wicked ever hide themselves from God?

No. For he is omnipresent and omniscient.
Repeat texts to prove this.

"Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord; Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."-Jer. xxiii. 24. "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandeth my thoughts afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shali be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from

thee; but the night shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."-Ps. cxxxix. 1-12.

Pride and self-will are sins that are very common in young people, and I must warn you all of the great danger of even wishing to be independant of your earthly parents control, or being impatient under it: and I would affectionately entreat you not only to submit to rules that may appear strict when compared with those in other families, but to do so with so much cheerfulness that your parents may believe their wish is your pleasure and delight. For has not God made our duty to our parents one of His commands, and promised a peculiar blessing to the observance of it ?

Yes. The fifth commandment.--St. Paul says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment; with promise that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."-Eph. vi. 1.

Give me a few examples of the fulfilment of this promise.

Joseph was an affectionate and obedient son, and when sold by his brothers into Egypt, "The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.” -Gen. xxxix. 3. He was governor over all the land of Egypt, and his life was prolonged to 110 years.-Gen. 1. 26. The family of the Rechabites obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their father, in abstaining from wine, &c. "Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel;

Jonadab, the son of Rechab, shall not want a man
to stand before me for ever."-Jer. xxxv. 19.
What are the "goods "God gives to us?
Life, health, and all other gifts of providence.
Are these our own to use as we please?

No. Only the wicked say, "Our lips are our own who is Lord over us?"-Ps. xii. 4.

In another parable we shall more fully see that all we have really belongs to God, and so must be accounted for to Him.

Who is the citizen to whom the sinner hires himself?

The devil-who employs him in his mean debasing service.

Can you recollect a verse in St. Peter where sin bears a most loathsome comparison ?

"The dog is turned to his vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."-2 Pet. ii. 22.

Sin indeed pollutes every thing it touches. How dreadful then must the condition of that heart be while under its dominion. Do you

know who resides and rules there?

Satan who is called "A strong man armed," who keepeth his palace and goods in peace."

Luke xi. 21.

How can you account for this tranquillity?

The devil often lulls the sinner into a false security, searing his conscience.-1 Tim. iv. 2. That "he flattereth himself in his own eyes."Ps. xxxvi. 2. 66 Saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace."-Jer. vi. 14. "There is no peace saith my God, to the wicked."--Isa. lvii. 21.

Though the unconverted heart is said to be the devil's palace, still, in a few verses after, is it not intimated that he sometimes leaves it?

Yes. But he finds no rest out of it, and, therefore, he returns again and finds that Christ has not been admitted to "dwell in the heart by faith."-Eph. iii. 17. The habitation is still empty.

Is it not improved by being "swept and garnished?"

66

Not in God's sight-for it has only been swept from outward sins, and garnished with common graces, like the Pharisees whom our Saviour called hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also, outwardly, appear righteous unto men, but, within, ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."-Matt. xxiii. 25-28.

Until the heart has been washed by faith in the blood of Christ it remains unclean. Jesus told Peter, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.-John xiii. 8. I cannot conceive a more fearful sentence from God than "Let him alone."-Hos. iv. 17. That the Spirit should no longer strive with him, but that he should be left to the cruel and deadly dominion

of satan, and his wicked agents. From such an awful state, let all fervently pray to be delivered, for blessed be God! there is one stronger than this "strong man,"--the Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to conquer our great enemy, and willing to make the heart the sanctified " temple of the Holy Ghost."--1 Cor. vi. 19. But let me ask you, has the renewed man nothing to fear from this conquered foe?

Yes. Though the devil be driven from his heart by the mighty power of Christ, yet will he ever be watching for an unguarded moment to make his attacks.

That is quite true. Satan knows full well that so long as a Christian keeps the eye of faith fixed on the "Great Captain of our Salvation," Heb. ii. 10, he can gain no advantage over even the weakest believer. If you would therefore be "preserved from your ghostly enemy," you must build your hope of salvation upon Christ, and then when the wind and flood and storm of sorrow descend and beat upon your soul, you shall stand firm and unmoved.-Matt. vii. 24. I will tell you a little anecdote to make this, if possible, clearer to you. There were once two brothers who were going to the Trojan wars: the one was a spearman and a warrior from his youth; the other was unpractised in the art of war, and only carried a bow. The time soon arrived when they must bid farewell to their home, and perhaps receive the last embraces of their friends. At this painful moment, the father took his younger son by the hand, and with tears committed him to