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you expect to resist me, who for nearly six thousand years have reigned over the great mass of mankind ! See how the multitude obey me, each one walking according to the course of this world, allowing himself to be carried along with the stream. It is hopeless to think of acting differently from your neighbours ; you must follow your inclinations which are natural to you, and cannot be resisted. It is the height of folly and pride to think of living like a saint in this world. See also how many men among those who are called the children of God, and who for a time seemed to separate themselves from the world, have come back to it again, judging it impossible to stem the current, and to resist the propensities of their nature. Where now is the religious language which they used in times past ? and that confidence in Christ which they were wont to speak of as vincible support? and as for you, does not your own experience contradict you? Are you not sometimes so sorely pressed that you are on the point of surrendering? How often have you been vanquished the very moment after you had put your confidence in God, and prayed for strength to stand against the enemy? How then can you pretend that the Lord will deliver you out of my hand ?

In answer to these reasonings, we would reply, first, that for the people of the world, it is no wonder if Satan leads them captive at his will, because they trust in their own strength, and seldom even make an effort to resist him ; and secondly, that as for those who seem for a time to put their trust in Christ, and then fall away, the Scriptures assure us that such persons have not a real faith and repentance, and that “ if they had been of us, they would have continued with us : but that they went out, that they might be

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made manifest that they were not all of us." 1 John, ii: 19. It tells us that God, who begins the good work

6 will finish it unto the end." It tells us, though the enemy may prevail to overthrow the faith of some, nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” 2 Tim. ü. 19. They who finally fall away never really trusted in the Lord; for it is written, “ None of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Ps. xxxiv. 22. Their fall, then, proves nothing against those who come to God with a true heart, and in full assurance of faith, or who, at least, pray to him to be enabled so to do; their fall cannot destroy the truth of these declarations of God's word: “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” “We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” “My sheep shall never perish, and none shall pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave

them me is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

As for ourselves and the defects with which he reproaches us, we must answer in the first place, that if we have sometimes made a false step, it is not because it is useless to trust in the Lord, but principally because our confidence has not been sufficiently sincere. And then, that though Satan may sometimes be permitted to press us hard, while hope remains we are still secure. Hope in the promises of God is that strong fortress whose walls are salvation, and which never can surrender. So long as the Christian has hope, he will gain new strength, even at the moment when he seems on the point of sinking, and he can apply to himself the words of the apostle : “ Dying, and behold we live.” The Lord, whose ways are not as our ways, often leads us to victory by reverses, that no flesh may glory in his

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presence, saying, "My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me the victory.” It would appear also that he is sometimes pleased to humble the adversary, by allowing him to carry off a temporary victory, which afterwards turns to his own complete confusion. When, then, Satan attacks us in this last entrenchment, crying out, that our confidence is in vain, and that it will not serve us, the oftener he tells us it is useless to trust in the Lord, the more firmly should we believe that this is just what he fears, that this is our strength, and that the Lord will send us deliverance. If he seeks to depreciate our faith, it is only because he is sensible of its value, and knows what achievements it can enable us to perform.

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James, iv. 7. “Resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 1 Pet. v. 9. 66 Seeing therefore, beloved, that ye know these things, beware lest ye also being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness: but

and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Pet. iii. 17, 18.

MEDITATION III.

THE CONDUCT OF HEZEKIAH UNDER HIS TRIAL.

“ But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah, with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh. And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God : and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.” 2 Kings, xviii. 36, 37; xix. 1-4.

In our preceding meditation, we have seen Rab-shakeh, the Assyrian general, coming forward to summon Hezekiah and his people to surrender, and delivering, under the walls of Jerusalem, and in the audience of the royal messengers, an impious harangue, in which he ? endeavours to ridicule and to overthrow their confidence in God. We have considered that discourse as a faith-? ful representation of the attacks by which the enemy : of souls too often seeks to shake our faith ; we shall now proceed to consider how the officers of Hezekiah and the king himself acted on hearing it.

THE SILENCE OF HEZEKIAH'S MESSENGERS.

The first thing that strikes us is the silence of Hezekiah's messengers ; a silence commanded by the king : for we read, “The people held their peace, and answered him not a word : for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.”

It is impossible to believe that Hezekiah forbid his officers to answer the ambassador of the king of Babylon under any circumstances; for upon such a supposition, the conference would have been useless, and it would have been more simple to have declined it altogether. We may, therefore, presume that he only required them to keep silence in case that the envoy of Senna. cherib should come to threaten and insult, as might have been anticipated, instead of offering reasonable terms of peace.

From this first circumstance we shall derive many important lessons.

1. Let us learn that there are certain cases where it is our duty not to answer the enemies of the truth and of the people of God. When their attacks consist in reproaches dictated by passion and mixed up with personalities, calumnies, and impieties, this is a case where we are called upon to be silent, remembering the words of Solomon:-“ If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh there is no rest,” Prov. xxix. 9; “Speak not in the ears of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of thy words." xxiii. 9. We should remember that there is “ a time to keep silence,” as well as “ a time to speak,” and that our Lord explicitly tells us : “ Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” Mat. vii. 6.

In a case like that which we have described, when

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