m the merit of His
atonement on the cross for our sins, or that takes the eye off from Him
as the risen and coming Lord, the alone object of our faith and hope, or
that dishonors in any way God's holy word, taking from or adding to it,
_then_ the more signs and wonders and manifestations of mysterious power
that there may be connected with it, then the more certainly we may know
that it is of Satan and not of God.

And if, in the man who exhibits signs and wonders, there is a spirit
contrary to the spirit of Christ, in his seeking honor from man, and
using his power to establish a claim to such honor, "speaking of himself
as some great one," and not walking in humility as a sinner saved from
hell and kept day by day by the power of God through faith in Christ,
And if the purpose of his signs be to establish revelations he is
receiving in any form apart from the written word, then, though his
signs be as marvelous as those of the magicians in Egypt, or Simon
Magnus in Samaria, he is, like them, a minister of Satan and not a
minister of Jesus Christ.

The age abounds in doctrines and men of this kind. The life of faith
lays the soul open to assaults of the Devil by their agency.

"Beloved try the spirits whether they be of God."

Let us not waver in our faith in God's overruling providence, and in the
reality of His interposition in answer to prayer for the deliverance and
help of his people under any and all circumstances. "In _everything_, by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made
known unto God," but let our first request be that we be kept in a sound
mind obedient to the word, and let _all of_ our requests close with the
utterance, from a sincere heart, of the words, "Thy will be done." If
this be the attitude of our hearts our prayers shall be abundantly and
graciously answered, and God shall guide us from the wiles of the Evil
One for the sake of His dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whose
precious blood we have all grace and all blessing. Amen.

LAKE VIEW, July 24th, 1885.

* * * * *

A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING EXCEPT IT BE GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN. JOHN 3:
27.

* * * * *

HIS COVENANT.

_"Know, that the Lord, thy God he is God, the faithful God, which
keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him, and keep his
commandments, to a thousand generations."_

_"My Covenant will I not break, nor a