Or, if they gain them, ihey find that rank, riches, pleasure, bought by sin, are but <lust and ashes in the ruouth-vauity of vauities, The enjoyment is but u dream, a phantom; the misery, alas! is very real 2. The Lord's answer. (1) He en.Us the tempter by his name, Satan, the advers:ny. He had revealed himself now; hie previous advances had been insidious; he had even claimed the countenance of Holy Scripture. Now he stands confessed as the enemy of Gorl.; he claims the worship which ie due to God alone. The Lord expresses his indignation: "Get thee hence, Satan!" It is right to call an evil thing by an evil name; the use of fair names for foul things is one of the deceits of the wicked one; it tends to hide the malignity of sin, aud helps to entrap unwary souls. A transgression is not an indiscretion; a siu is not a misfortune. (2) A.gain he says, "It is written." The Bible is many-sided; its range extends over all the needs of humanity; there is help to be founu there against all temptations. Whatever our difficulties may be, our perplexities, our trials, we shall find light and guidance in the blessed Word of God, if we have been used to study it a.right in earnest prayer, in dependence on the promised aid of God the Holy Ghost. (3) "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God." Here is the Christian's victory. God must be first in our hearts. Nothing can be right which tends to turn our soul's devotion from tlie Lord. However fair the prospect may seem, whatever excuses Satan may suggest, however he may palliate the guilt, or bide the danger, or draw enticing pictures of advantages to follow, here is the one only right answer, the answer of the Lord Jesus to the tempter: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Our heart's allegiance is due to God; be is our rightful King. To try to serve two masters, to halt between God and the world, is to fail in that allegiance, to transfer it to "the world-rulers of this darkness;" it is, in effect, to take Satan for our master, to worship him instead of God. 'l'hc one hope of safety in the midst of dangers is to bold fast to the prime duty, the highest privilege of the Christian: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." He who .b.erein imitates the Saviour is more than conqueror. V. THE VICTORY. 1. The devil leaveth him. He bad failed completely. The clear, calm decision of the Saviour's holy soul, the resolute will, sorely tried and harassed, but ever steadfast and unflinching in the path of duty, bad defeated the tempter at all points. He bad nothing more left that be could do : be fled, awed by the Saviour's perfect purity. So the devil fieeth now before those who resist him in the strength of Christ. Our victory is sure if only we are steadfast; for Christ bath conquered for us, and we are bis and he is ours. 2. The angels came. The strife was o'er, the battle done; angels came and ministered to the wants of the triumphant Lord. They had watched the struggle, we may be sure, with the deepest, the most awful interest; they had sympathized with the blessed Lord in the intense anguish of that dread agony of temptation. They rejoiced in bis victory. Even so they help the Christian warrior now in bis conflict against the same dreadful foe: "The angel of the Lord encampetb round about them that fear him; " and "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." The moments of victory-victory after sore temptation, are sweet beyond expression; they are sweetened by the unseen presence and sympathy of the blessed angels, rejoicing with the Christian's joy, "singing sweet fragments of the songs above" to cheer the wearied pilgrim. LESSONS. 1. The devil who tempted Christ tempts us now. Temptations will come; they come every day; but there are decisive moments in the life of every one. Prepare for those decisive conflicts by prayer for the Spirit, by meditation, by the practice of daily self-deniaL 2. Imitate the 8a.viour. Treasure in the heart the blessed words of Holy Scripture. 8. Love not the world. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are not of the Father, but of the world. 4. " Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you."
Vere. 12-25.-The beginning of owr Lord's ministry, I. HE BEMOVEB To CAPEBNAUM. 1. John was cast into prison. His ministry was ended; the Lord's begins. God continues his servants' work; when one passes away, another takes bis place; when the voice of one prophet is silenced, a greater follows. Each must work in faith while time is ,:iven; the work is not man's, but God's. He will fulfil it. His eervants may seem to be laid aside and to be forgotten; be will carry on their work, olt. 1v. 1-25.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MAT1HEW. 117