By this strength do believers walk and prevail now. Many know it not, because they have not dared to separate themselves from the world, and take their walk alone. Yet it is then God's presence is most precious, and His promised strength is found sufficient. God comes not to our succour wholly, when we cast not ourselves altogether on it. Too many want to walk with God and the world too. But how can this be? "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Let us once be separated in heart from the world, and let our affections be once really knit to God and God's people, and God will give us strength to act a right part, to walk in a right way, although it be different from all the world.

We shall find we walk most securely, when we are in the habit of being much alone with God. It is when pouring out our hearts in secret before our our Father, when searching His truths for ourselves, when going out into the fields to meditate on heavenly things, that God especially draws near to us, communes with us by the way, and manifests Himself unto us. And then, when all the world forsakes us, we are not alone. When friends die or fail us, Jesus lives, and abides faithful. When our father and mother forsake us, the

Lord taketh us up; and when we walk in the valley of the shadow of death, (and die alone we must) the Lord is still with us.

How happy this character,-how blessed the end it leads to! Shall we not choose this good part for ourselves, and be found "walking with God?" Shall we not pray and watch and strive accordingly?

We have one more point in Noah's character to notice. He lived for others as well as him

self. He sought to save others as well as himself. He was "a preacher of righteousness. He reasoned with the world of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.' He disputed daily, to convince

them of sin.

"terrors of the

truths which the

He sought to persuade by the Lord." He set forth those Spirit of Christ which was in him did signify. Now this must have been a hard matter in such ungodly times. Men would oftener leave the righteous alone, if they would leave them alone. But who can see souls perish and not cry out? Who can believe in eternal fire, and not therefore speak?

Who can have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and not ask others to "come and see?" Surely this is as certain a result of walking with God, as it is a duty belonging to the righteous. They are lights, and they are to let their light shine. Every child of God should be, in one sense, a "preacher of righteousness.' All are not called to the ministry of the Gospel, but all are called to be "ensamples" of Christians. of Christians. And love for others, if nothing else, should make us speak of righteousness to those who are lacking it, as we have opportunity. This is hard sometimes. It is far more pleasant to praise men, than to hint to them of faults. It is easier to pray for our friends, than to use means to bring them to God. Yet, it is a kindly office, expected of us. Faithfulness in this respect will save many a tear of regret by and by. We shall never repent having spoken a word in season to a thoughtless soul. It may be a cross now, but it will be part of a crown of rejoicing hereafter. It may make us frowned upon now, but men will bless us hereafter: it may bring us shame now, but what is that, if it saves souls from eternal shame hereafter?

Let this be our character. Let us ask for grace that we may find grace,-more grace. "He giveth grace to the humble." And while

we walk with God ourselves, let us seek to win others to the same walk,-the walk of faith, the walk of love, and the walk that leadeth unto life eternal.

PRAYER.

O Gracious God, Holy Jesus, and life-giving Spirit! I bow my knee before thee, Eternal One, and ask for grace. Let me find grace in thy sight. Thy Spirit strove in vain with sinners of old. But it strove not in vain in thy servant Noah. Let it not strive in vain with me. Give me largely of that Spirit. Let Him not depart from me, till He has made me willing by His power. I fear lest I have often grieved Him. Yet, Lord, withdraw not His presence from me.

Make me as thy servant Noah, just and perfect. Sanctify the thoughts and desires of my heart. Conform my actions to thy blessed rules. Guide my words with discretion; and so make me walk with thee in love, as thy child. Let my righteousness speak to others, and tell of thy grace. Give me wisdom and power to let my light shine before others, that they may see my good works, and glorify thy name, both now and in the day of visitation. I plead the merits of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ. AMEN.

NOAH SAVED IN THE ARK.

"In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

"And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

"In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;

"They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.

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"And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.

"And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in." GEN. VII. 11-16.

THE gracious invitation is now given to Noah, "Come thou, and all thy house, into the ark.". That ark Noah had himself built. Most likely many of the ungodly in the world had

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