Canaan, lest they should, in their unprepared state, be discouraged by entering into immediate contests with the warlike Philistines3, so he sometimes leads his people now in a comparatively safe and easy path. But generally speaking we must expect difficulties- fit cannot be thought that Satan will relinquish Ins vassals without making repeated efforts to reduce them to their former bondage. When commanded to depart from the youth whom he had so long possessed, he cast him down, and tare him in such a manner, that the spectators conceived him to be deadb. Thus does he also at this time frequently deal with those, whom by the superior strength of Jesus he is compelled to relinquish0: he endeavours to shut them up in despondency, or perhaps even to drive them to suicide. And when he has not prevailed in the first instance, he departs from them (as he did even from our Lord himself), only " for a season." Methinks he is in this the very archetype of Pharaoh ; who, having liberated the Israelites only by compulsion, rejoiced in a prospect of wreak- ing his vengeance on them, and collected all his forces to bring them back again to his dominion. To the latest hour of their lives will he avail himself of every opportunity to assault them, and will use all his wiles, and all his devices, to harass, if he cannot finally destroy, them.
Nor is it to be supposed that the world will sit contented with the loss of their former companions. It is said of Noah, that in building the ark, "he condemned the ivorldd:" so, in turning from sin to God, we, in fact, condemn the world : our faith condemns their unbelief ; our fear, their security ; our obedience, their disobedience. This is clearly declared by Solomon; "They that forsake the law, praise the wicked; but such as keep the law, contend with theme." Our actions speak, though our lips should be silent : and the more bright our light shines, the more visible must be the surrounding darkness. The world are driven to the alternative of con- demning either themselves or us, seeing that it is impossible that such opposite lines of conduct should both be right : we must not wonder therefore if they load us with reproach and ignominy, and if " those especially who are of our own house- hold become our greatest foes." This is the natural result of their self-love ; I may add too, of their love for us.
Neither can we hope that all our former habits should be at once changed, so that we should feel no difficulty in mortifying our deep-rooted lusts, or in exercising graces, to which till lately we were utter strangers. Old passions will revive ; old
a Exod. xiii. 17. b Markix. 26. c Luke xi. 21, 22.
d Heb. xi. 7. e Prov. xxviii. 4.