sities are subdued, and holy principles received. There the soul obtains celestial impulses, by which it is transformed into the image of God" from glory to glory." Prayer engages all "the auxiliaries of Omnipotence" itself against sin, and is so contrary to it, that the same heart cannot hold them both. "Either prayer must make a man leave off sinning, or sinning force him to give over praying." What an inducement is there in this, for the believer to pray without ceasing!" present with him." There is a law in his members warring against the law of his mind. There are within him principles and propensities which operate as obstacles to his spiritual progress, and which must be "crucified," if he would attain." These elements of evil may develop themselves in the region of thought as well as of affection -tending to the darkness of the mind and the deadness of the heart. They may appear in one or other of the varied forms of selfishness and carnality, forfeiting peace and destroying purity. They may operate under the shades of ignorance, or under the dominion of lust, to blind the mind or to defile the conscience. There is the "evil heart of unbelief," the "will of the flesh," the "vain imagination," "the carnal mind," each with its native tendency to bring forth corrupt fruit, and exercising a power hostile to the Christian life. Where is the Christian that is ignorant of their influence, and that has not in his character "the sin which doth easily beset?" Here, again, the truth applies, -"this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Prayer has the mightiest power for growth in spiritual know-you; Satan found you sleeping at your ledge, and for the casting out of ignorance and error. He that would walk in the light, must "give himself to prayer." This exercise lifts up the soul to the God of truth, and raises it to the very region of light; imparting thus a living reality to truth, and fitting the mind to receive the beams of divine light from the Sun of righteousness. So, in reference to the passions and propensities of the heart, prayer is the most successful weapon for their subjugation. They are evil powers which must be cast out. The sin that dwelleth in the heart must be expelled. Prayer is the grand exorciser. The man who often betakes himself to the throne of grace, seeks to flee from his own depravity. He takes his heart to God, in whose presence evil cannot dwell. There sinful propen How great a power, then, Christian reader, is within your reach, whereby you may cast out the devil's influence and the devil's principles from your soul! Your Heavenly Father has spared you to enter upon a new year, and thus afforded you a fresh starting point in your spiritual course. Consider your condition and your privilege. Temptations surround you; evil is within you. Every scene and every season through which you pass, has in it elements of danger to you. The record of the past year in your moral history is not such, perhaps, as it might or ought to have been. Temptation overcame post and secured an advantage over you. Your heart deceived you; the world has gained upon you. Where is your progress? Remember in the future, how you can resist the devil and conquer evil. Prayer is a sacred enclosure thrown around the soul, into which Satan dares not enter. It places a power within your reach, by which you may subdue indwelling sin, and vanquish all temptation. Watch, therefore, and pray. The divine life within you will grow and become strong in the atmosphere of prayer. III. AROUND THE CHRISTIAN, ON EVERY SIDE, ARE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE POWER OF SIN WHICH HE CAN ONLY SUBDUE BY PRAYER. The influences which the believer finds against himself, and the elements of evil within him, everywhere abound. The agency of Satan is evident wherever man's footsteps are traced, and the human heart is everywhere deceitful and depraved. Jesus came to "destroy the works of the devil." His disciples are required and privileged to be coworkers with him in casting out the powers and principles of evil from the world. Superstition, falsehood, and formality are the symbols of Satan's presence; cruelty, ignorance, sensuality, and wretchedness, are the tokens of his dominion. Wherever these appear, the Christian has a work to do. "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Prayer is, therefore, essential to usefulness as well as to piety. The history of the church proclaims, that those who have done most for the true welfare of the world, have been men of prayer. How important is a deep conviction of this truth in every Christian's mind! The coruscations of genius may dazzle, the tongue of eloquence may thrill, the voice of melody may charm, the power of science may adorn humanity; but prayer is the power with God" that prevails in casting out evil from its course and destiny. He is likely to do most efficient service in the cause of truth and the world's progress, who, with his whole heart, gives himself to prayer. ness. ment of evangelical service remember that prayer is the grand means-the main element of success. The labourer in the vineyard who does not give himself to prayer, cannot fully sympathize with God's designs of benevolence, and has no reasonable right to expect success in his work. Be not discouraged, then, my Christian brother, because you are not able to do much; you can pray much, and thereby render most efficient aid to the church in casting out sin, and throwing down the empire of darkHow much may one earnest praying Christian be the means of accomplishing in his closet! Alas! the flame of devotion languishes-seems ready to die. The spirit of the world largely possesses the church. It is torn by division, agitated by heresy, deadened by mammon-worship. Where is the help-the remedy-the rescue? Is it not mainly in the power of prayer? By this only will the evil spirit be cast out. What might be the result if every Christian who reads this paper were anew more devoutly to give himself to prayer for a lethargic church-for a perishing world! Let me urge, then, upon you, reader, as a maxim to be constantly before you during this year on which you have been spared to enter, that, if you are to conquer evil in yourself, and help to cast it from the world, you must abound in prayer. I do not ask you what the past has been; but I would ask you what the future is to be? Will you be oftener in the closet in communion with God than you have been? Will you try the efficacy of prayer more than you have done? Will you more fervently cherish and cultivate the power by which you can overcome evil in yourself and others? Remember the example of the Master: Nor is it any wonder that it should be so. The man of prayer has the closest communion with God drinks most deeply into the spirit of his Heavenly Master-catches most thoroughly the flame from the celestial altar-comes forth from the Divine presence best fitted for action in the arena of personal conflict, and in the field of earnest effort for the good of others. There may not be worldly position or influence; there may neither be splendid talents nor large opportunities, but if there be "Cold mountains, and the midnight air, "power with God" in prayer, there will Witnessed the fervour of his prayer." be power in casting out from the world The church requires every member to the principles and consequences of evil. do his duty, but duty will not be proLet every one engaged in any depart-perly discharged, nor the Divine work done effectually in him, nor beyond him, without prayer. "Pray without ceasing." There is no word of more amazing significance than prayer-there is no spiritual weapon of mightier potency than prayer-there is no position on earth more attractive to the eye of Heaven than that of the soul prostrate in prayer. Let this year, then, my Christian brother, be a witness to the growing frequency and increasing fervour of thine ascending prayers, and thus wilt thou bless thyself and all about thee. "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." As thou valuest progress in holiness, and power to do good, let it be often true of thee,-"BEHOLD HE PRAYETH!" J. S. CALVARY. BY MRS. SOUTHEY. Down from the willow bough My slumbering harp I'll take, And bid its silent strings To heavenly themes awake;Peaceful let its breathings be, When I sing of Calvary. Love, LOVE DIVINE, I sing; O, for a seraph's lyre, Bathed in Siloa's stream, And touched with living fire; Lofty, pure, the strain should be, When I sing of Calvary. Love, Love on earth appears! The wretched throng his way; He beareth all their griefs, Poetry. And wipes their tears away; Soft and sweet the strain should be, Saviour, when I sing of thee. He saw me as he passed, Loud and long the strain should be, "I die for thee," he saidBehold the cross arise! And lo, he bows his head He bows his head and dies! Soft, my harp, thy breathings be, Let me weep on Calvary. He lives! again he lives! I hear the voice of love, He comes to soothe my fears, And draw my soul above; Joyful now the strain should be, When I sing of Calvary. ON MIRACLES: Review of Religious Publications. By RALPH WARDLAW, D.D. Small 8vo. pp. 332. A. Fullarton and Co. THE substance of this masterly work on Miracles, was delivered originally in the form of Lectures to the author's own congregation; but the whole has been recast, and now appears in the somewhat more attractive and appropriate form of a Theological Treatise. Dr. Wardlaw informs us, that the effort, both from the pulpit and the press, "was suggested by the abounding scepticism of the times;the new phases, as well as old, under which that scepticism has been discovering itself;-and the zeal, seldom if ever surpassed, with which it has been exerting itself for the dissemination of its principles;-if, indeed, distinctive principles can be considered as at all belonging to a philosophy whose aim must, from its very nature, be the unsettling of every thing, rather than the settling of any acute and conclusive manner of dealing thing." with the sophistries of the class of writers justly deserving to be considered sceptics. We cordially agree with the distinguished author, when he says that, “ while infidelity is assiduously active, it would ill become Christians to be apathetic and idle." With such a cause in hand as the defence of their Bible, they have nothing to fear, from the multiform assaults of unbelievers; which, from the apostolic age downwards, have only developed the power of the Christian mind, and proved that the advocates of the gospel are more than a match for the entire host of uncircumcised Philistines. We have a growing conviction that God permits the enemies of Christianity, at different periods, to do their worst, that the utter baselessness of their warfare may be exposed, and that the sincere friends of revealed religion may better understand the stability of that impregnable rock of truth upon which they stand. We need not say how much we are cheered in perceiving that the scepticism of the day is doing that for us which it did for our forefathers. Though it means it not, it is preparing the weapons of its own destruction and final overthrow; and the more daring it is, the sooner will the contest come to an end. Had it been more prudent and reserved, the venerable author of this Treatise on Miracles might not have been roused, amidst his numerous and weighty avocations, to buckle on his armour, and take to the field against the common foe ;-but, mild and gentle as he is, woe be to the ill-equipped antagonist that meets him in the gate! Both the Socinian and Voluntary controversies will supply lasting evidence of the prowess which belongs to him in dislodging an opponent from what he may deem his strong-holds; and we can assure our readers that he has lost nothing of the skill and tactics of former years, as may be seen by the manner in which he has handled the great question of Miracles, as a branch of Christian evidence. We shall, in the first place, lay before our readers an analysis of the author's plan, and then furnish a few extracts upon particular topics, illustrative of his The Volume consists of eight chapters, distributed in the following manner : The I. is introductory, showing the importance of the subject, laying down general principles, and clearing the ground. 1. The magnitude of the prime question at issue. 2. Classification of Evidence; topic selected; Requisites to its investigation. 3. Different ways in which a Divine Revelation may be made: Credentials. 4. What is a Miracle? 5. Directness of the proof from miracles :what they attest:-if wrought, certainty of their evidence. The II. Chap. is devoted to the Possibility, Probability, and Certainty of Miracles. Chap. III. treats most fully the arguments of Hume; contains strictures on Drs. Campbell, Chalmers, and Vaughan; and demonstrates the unsoundness of Hume's argument, in its radical principle, and in all its details. The IV. Chap. is a concentration of the principles of the author's argument on the one great miracle of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. 1. Reasons for the concentration of the argument on this one fact:-Exposure of the seeming fallacy in the ordinary treatment of the subject: One more postulate assumed-the early publication of the Evangelical narrative. 2. How the case stands :- what was published:-Impossibility of its finding credit in one mind or for one moment, unless true. 3. Further grounds of credibility :-nature of the testimony : kind of evidence required :-number of qualifications of the witnesses :-Proofs of their sincerity. 4. Sincerity of the witnesses already proved: Their own account of the grounds of their faith :-sufficiency of these, and internal evidence of their truth. In the V. Chap. we have a return to the miracles of the New Testament generally :-Principles of the author's argument applied to them: The Miracles themselves never denied: supposed powers of agents inferior to God :-Especially of evil spirits: Objections on such grounds answered. 1. Characteristics of the miracles in general:-Charge of inconsistency repelled: - The Miracles themselves never in early times denied. 2. Objection from powers of created agents superior to man :-Miracles to which no such power is competent: Divine control over all such powers :-general position stated. 3. Impossibility of Miracles in attestation of falsehood:-Whether by God's direct or instrumental agency:The evidence substantially the same:Existence of evil spirits known only from the Bible:-The extent of their powers too from the same authority :-Independent power of working miracles, on the part of any creature, impossible, and the supposition of it impious. -: How ably Dr. Wardlaw has grappled with his theme, may be partially judged of by the following extracts. After a most interesting discussion on Hume's theory, in opposition to Miracles, drawn from his notions of Experience, in which the author breaks a spear with Drs. Campbell, Chalmers, and Vaughan, -we have the following striking passage. "I come at once to what I have ever conceived to be, and what by others has been ably demonstrated to be,-the grand sophism of the whole argument now in question:-a sophism, indeed, lying on its very surface; requiring no lengthened process of investigation to detect, nor any supernatural ingenuity to expose. The entire argument is built on an ambiguity in the meaning of one word-the word In Chap. VI. we have an examination | EXPERIENCE. Whether this ambiguity of those passages and recorded facts in Scripture, appealed to in proof of real Miracles having been wrought in support of falsehood.—and by an agency inferior to God's. 1. In the case of the "prophet or dreamer of dreams," supposed by Moses-Deut. xiii, 1—4. 2. On the question, whether, in any case, the miracle requires to be tested by the doctrine. 3. Other passages examined on the same question—whether, in any case, Miracles wrought in attestation of falsehood were real. 4. The case of the Egyptian magicians. Chap. VII. treats of Rationalism Mythism Spiritualism and Romanism. 1. The view of Miracles held by German Rationalists. 2. Explanation of Miracles by the Myths of Strauss. 3. Estimate of Miracles by Spiritualists. 4. Pretended Miracles of the Romish church. The VIII., or concluding Chapter, has referonce to the nature of Christ's Miracles, and appropriateness of the design of his Mission:-Importance of that design, and of our duly appreciating it. From this outline it will be seen that the author's plan is very comprehensive, and that he has dealt with all the great questions involved in a Treatise dedicated to the discussion of Miracles, and of Miracles considered as an evidence of a revelation from God, | was, or was not, perceived by the framer of the argument, I will not presume to say. But this much I must say,—that if it was not, it was little to the credit of his discernment;—and that if it was, it is but little to the credit of his integrity. The choice seems to lie between defective perspicacity or defective honesty,-between an intellectual and a moral failing. If he discerned the ambiguity, and intentionally availed himself of it,—he was—and that in the most deeply culpable of all imaginable cases— chargeable with the latter; and if he did not discern it, and really fancied his argument free of fallacy,-it will not be easy to protect him from the discredit of surprising want of penetration. Yet, in regard to powers of intellect, Ilume, all the world knows, was no fool. And we must set down the case as one, and, among many more, far from the least remarkable, of the blending influence of prejudice, and of fondness for whatever seems fitted to serve a favourite end, by crushing an obnoxious system. What a film there must have been on his mental vision, we shall now endeavour to show, by the brief illustration of a series of observations. "I. I have to show what I mean by the ambiguity of the word experience. Let the reader, then, observe. The experience of any one individual person, it is clear, must of necessity be exceedingly |