world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."

6TH DAY

"Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and it shall be done."—Matt. xxi, 21.

The Power of Faith.

We can say of faith, in the language of the Psalmist in reference to Zion, that "glorious things are spoken" concerning it. Whose heart does not leap within him as he reads the records of its achievements in the Epistle to the Hebrews? All the wonders of the ancient church, we are there shewn, were wrought through chis divine principle. During the personal ministry of the Saviour, how clearly was its importance evinced. His miraculous blessings were conferred in almost every case on one simple condition; He required all who applied to Him to believe, and to those who were enabled to do so, His power was at once put forth. But there were seasons when His mighty arm seemed to be paralysed.

and when the flow of His omnipotent compassion was suddenly checked; and what was it that produced so strange a result? "He could do no mighty works there, because of their unbelief."

How necessary, then, is the prayer, "Lord, increase our faith." Those who are strong in this grace can give to the winds their fears; they possess a shield wherewith they are able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and against the allurements of time and sense they have a sure safeguard-" for this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Well may the poet say,

"O could we but believe;

Then all would easy be."

There are two things to which faith has particular respect, namely, the divine power and the divine faithfulness. The question which the Redeemer put to the blind men was, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" They at once replied, "Yea, Lord;" and according to their faith it was done to them.

The

same question is now proposed to us, and happy are they who can exercise similar confidence. Those numberless sins of yours, believe ye that I am able to pardon them? Those evil propensities, believe ye that I am able to subdue them? Those threatening disasters, believe ye that I am able to avert them? Those fiery trials, believe ye that I am able to support you under, and bring you safely through, them? Let our answer be, "Yea, Lord;" for with Thee nothing is impossible, and Thou art able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think.

We are also to remember that His faithfulness is as great as His power. Not merely is He able to perform what He has promised, but he will surely do what He has declared. Let God be true, though all men were liars; for Him to deceive is altogether impossible: He will not suffer His faithfulness to fail.

God grant that we may be preserved

from dishonouring Him by giving way to an evil heart of unbelief! While we doubt His word, or cherish any secret misgivings in reference to His adorable character, how greatly do we sin against Him! We are all of us verily guilty in this matter, and shame and confusion of face become us in consequence. No wonder that our souls have been unblessed; no wonder that our prayers have been unanswered. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind nd tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."