Vera. 9-15.-T.'te human tr'll,St and prayer that herald Divine victory. Though God gives nothini: for-tbat vani8bing point-our merit, yet he constantly of old gave, now constantly gives, in connection with our own right-doings and right-praying, in order that bis freest gifts may establish a healthy reaction on our experience and on our practical conduct. In the prayer, the appeal, the trust, the simple, practical account of Asa, according to the narrative contained within the compass of the above verses, we have vividly portrayed- 1 THE SOVEREIGN MASTER OF Al.']) OVER ALL DIFFICULTIES. What comfort we for- feit, what source of courage we fling away, when we permit to lie as though the mere oommonplace of faith, the truth that God is the Eque.l of all our confronting difficulties, let them be what they may--equal to them at all times, in all places, under all circum- stances and conditions! How much is written in the canon of confidence, the charter of our "liberty of speech" at the throne of the heavenly grace (1 John v. 14, 15), where we read, "If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us : and if we know that be bear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" I All much as is thus written, so much do we lose, when we fail to live in the str~ngth thereof. Alla did now live so. I!. TBE EXAMPLE OF AN 'ONOONDITIONED, UNLIMITED, AND UNINTERFERING OOMMIT• 'l'ING OF THE ENTIRE OONTROL OF A PRESSING OABE OF BUMAN DIFFICULTY INTO Goo's RA.ND, WHILE KAN REMAINS SIMPLY OBEDIENT TO THE DUTY OF AOTIVE WORK. Some- times we are called upon to stand by and stand still, and see, as it were, at one view, whether more or le11s sustained in its duration, "the salvation of the Lord;" but more frequently, as in the example of the present narrative, we are reminded of the advisableness and duty of putting our own hand and all our own strength into the work, which still depends supremely on the" saving strength" of God and his Anointed. lll O:-"'E EARNEST ENTREATY THAT HE WILL BE GRACIOUSLY PLEASED TO ASSUME THB 80VERE1GN A!..A.STEBY OF THE DIFFICULTY OF THE SITUATION, AND TAKE THE CONTROL OFFERED TO HIM, IN LOVING FAITH AND TRUST. God waits for this on the pa.rt of his creatures-our heavenly Father on the part of his children. He loves to be asked, e.nd desires that we should seek and knock. .And it is, indeed, a most inspiring thought, as well as a thought warranted of inspiration, that our prayer, faith, trust, ave.ii so often as the very signal of Divine action. IV. THE COKPLETENESS OF THE TRIUMPH, WH[OH THENCE RESULTS, OBSERVABLE, A faith that can scarcely be described as anything better than a lame faith ; a trust that is suspicious and doubtful all the while; a prayer that has no earnestness nor force of ant:cipation inhereut in it, are poor preparation for conflict, and no augury of decisive ou. xrv. 1-15.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 173
and trenchant triumph. They, e.t e.11 events, in no sense deserve e.s certainly they cannot merit nor earn, the shout of victory when the day's sun i~ ready to go down. Such a shout follow" on decision of mind, glowing love, and trust of heart and a tom, in prayer, divinely we.rranted, that might itself be mistaken for a summon;.