you to come and put your feet on the necks of your van- quished enemies. Do it; and assure yourselves, that through him you shall be " more than conquerors over all." For a little time this subtle adversary will yet continue his assaults. It was only " for a season" that he suspended his eiForts even against the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Depend upon it, therefore, that you shall have some " thorn in the flesh, some messenger of Satan, still to buffet you." But " be strong and very courageous." " Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." " Gird on the whole armour" provided for you in the Gospel; and " quit yourselves like men." If you say, " True, but I am weak ;" know that, " when you are weak, then are you strong ;" and " the strength of Christ shall be perfected in your weakness." The palm of victory, and the victor's robe, are already provided for you : and, after a few more conflicts, your triumph shall be complete. Already may you " be- hold Satan fallen from heaven, like lightning^" Hallelujah ! hallelujah !]
1 Luke X. 18.
2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that 'perish : to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
THE difficulties which faithful ministers have to encounter, are great and numerous. Through the goodness of God, the flames of persecution are not permitted to rage against them, as in the apostolic age ; but the embers are by no means extinguished ; hatred and contempt are yet the portion of all who will bear their testimony for God, and reprove the wickedness of an ungodly world. But if " their afflictions abound, their consolations abound also." They are sustained by the providence and grace of God, and have reason to " thank him for causing them always to triumph in Christ." They have also the satisfaction of seeing, that God, by their instru- mentality, " makes manifest the savour of his know- ledge in every place." And though they are unhappily