ings with their religion, and let worldly motives bias their spiritual practice; but "the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."* I AM THE WAY, said Christ-all, therefore, who have erred from His precepts are deceived. The deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, are always in the field; and weak souls are seduced by the adaptation of doctrine to their tastes, by its coincidence with their natural tempers, or by the still more baneful overtures of the enemy of souls. There may be a professed trust in the merits of Christ's intercession, but a pravity in externals, in doctrine, in practice, which, if not fatal, is deeply injurious to the interests of religion; but it has become so unfashionable to incur the charge of bigotry, that one almost hesitates to quote the advice-and Apostolical advice carries with it the force of a command"that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,"† in order to prove that such separations in the Church as exist at present are far from being in comformity with the Christian code. • Tim. ii. 24. + Eph. iv. 14. CHAP. XIV. "THAT IT MAY PLEASE THEE TO STRENGTHEN SUCH AS DO STAND, AND TO COMFORT AND HELP THE WEAK-HEARTED, AND TO RAISE UP THEM THAT FALL, AND FINALLY TO BEAT DOWN SATAN UNDER OUR FEET; WE BESEECH THEE TO HEAR US, GOOD LORD." "LET him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall,”* is a sufficient proof that we need strength not our own. That the consolations of the Holy Spirit are they only which will comfort and help the fearful, the weak, or the poor in spirit, Christians, even in the infancy of the Gospel, can need no proof. Those who fall by any submission to the importunities of a sinful nature, may be sure that, upon hearty repentance, God will raise them up; for "the Lord lifteth up the meek," as "he casteth the wicked down to the ground."+ Lastly, to give a scripture proof in this, as it would be easy to do with the aid of a Concordance, in every branch of all these petitions in the Litany," the God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly," is an assurance which all who study to be "wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil," shall most certainly find true. The whole imagery of this petition is that of a battle-field, and it will be entirely illustrated by a reference to St. Paul.§ If we are happily standing in the belief in Jesus, erect and confident, yet humble and self-abased, we need the grace of God lest either Rom. xvi. 19, 20. 1 Cor. xi. 10. + Ps. cxlvii. 6. a presumptuous assurance or an immoderate despondency become the vehicles of satanic temptation; and thus the weak-hearted become the next objects of our supplication-such as, fearing the irremediable displeasure of God, dishonour Him by a distrust of Him whom He hath sent. Them that fall God will raise up by the undying spirit of His grace, which has only languished for a season; but if we fall away, it will be impossible to renew us again unto repentance, seeing that we shall have crucified to ourselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.* This terrible consequence of falling away has been a source of much fear and perplexity to many believers ; but we should not fail to interpret words according to their meaning. How many doubts would be avoided if a careful consideration were given to the connection in which particular words or phrases are met with! To fall away is expressly stated by the Apostle to mean this :—when persons "who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come," join the ranks of those who finally so reject the promises of the Gospel, and the divine messenger who brought, and had actually planted it in their hearts and consciences, that " they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame:" so that no person, who retains the least spark of love or faith towards Christ, can have fallen away-can have forfeited the favour and ready help of the Saviour who continually intercedes for all-even for his feeblest and most diffi * Heb. vi. 6. dent dependents. To fall, indeed, is the lot of all who traverse the slippery, rugged, and too often benighted paths of this wicked world; but to fall AWAY is the dreadful lot of those only who, in spite of the remonstrances of conscience, join with the murderers of the Lord in temper, with his enemies in will, and with his revilers in reality. Such, indeed, having shut out the divine presence, can never be led to repentance; for, falling into the snare of the devil, it is not to bring them back to God that he will ply them with his infernal arts. No: like the fell monster of the desert, "that old serpent" allures only to destroy, pleases to ruin, and delights but to wrap more closely round his victims the loathsome folds from which escape is impossible. On the contrary, how glorious is the reverse of this-that, as "the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him," so we may, in fulfilment of the glorious intimation conveyed in the Apocalypse, hear "a loud voice saying in heaven "-satan the while lying prostrate under our feet-" Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night!”* O that, even in this life, we might enjoy such strength and victory over sin that our Lord might again, and with regard to us, say unto our souls," I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."+ But while life lasts there is danger. What Rev. xii. + Luke x. 18. Christ said unto the first disciples, he says unto allWatch; and never can we be sure of an eternal triumph until at that moment when these earthly habitations shall be deserted by the soul in its heavenward flight; a smile of confidence in the merits of one that is mighty having left its image on the lip, a ray of joy having flitted from those viewless orbs, and all, all the troublesome passions and conflicting appetites of the body be locked for ever in the embrace of death. CHAP. XV. "THAT IT MAY PLEASE THEE TO SUCCOUR, HELP, AND COMFORT, ALL THAT ARE IN DANGER, NECESSITY, AND TRIBULATION; WE BESEECH THEE TO HEAR US, GOOD LORD." How appropriate to our wants, how entirely submissive to "the Father of Spirits," is this recommendation of all that require His succour, help, or consolation! Is it not delightful to join with the assembled multitudes of such as keep holy day, in praying to "a God that heareth prayer," with the mind for a moment in affectionate concern upon the case of a brother or a sister, a husband or a wife, or a child? Reader, art thou so exempt from the chastisements of a loving God as to own no dear friend, linked in blood or holy bond of love, who is in danger, necessity, or tribulation? If so, thou art thyself in danger -necessity is laid on thee to be watchful, or tribula |