Again, since we are not ignorant of the devices of Satan, we must take especial care that he shall not get an advantage over us. "We must resist him," as the Apostle says, "steadfast in the faith; " not foolishly listening to his artful suggestions, nor presumptuously throwing ourselves in the way of temptation, lest the Almighty be provoked to withdraw His protection from us, and to give us over into thepower of our spiritual adversary. And lastly, this part of Job's history will show the full meaning and value of those words in the Lord's prayer, where we pray that God will not "lead us into temptation." Not indeed that our gracious Creator could ever Himself seek to ensnare us, or to draw us into sin, for as St. James declares, "GOD cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man," yet it is plain from this history that He does sometimes permit the enemy to try the faith and virtue of His servants. Our Saviour bids us to entreat our Heavenly Father not to suffer the tempter to prevail against us, but to keep us from every appearance of evil. For every humble-minded Christian knows but too well the weakness

and corruption of our mortal nature. He is conscious how little strength we have of ourselves to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one, and how great therefore is the danger of our falling. If then we are serving the Lord with true humility of mind, and "working out our salvation with fear and trembling," how earnestly shall we pray that "all those evils which the craft and subtlety of the devil worketh against us, be brought to nought, and by the providence of the Divine goodness may be dispersed." How fervently shall we beg of GOD to "strengthen such as do stand, to comfort and help the weak-hearted, to raise up them that fall, and finally to beat down Satan under our feet."

F

LECTURE III.

JOB ii. 3.

"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou

considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst Me against him, to destroy him without cause."

In the last lecture we went through the history of the first afflictions which were sent upon Job, how he was robbed of all his blessings in a single day, and became at once poor and childless. We also saw with what exemplary patience and resignation this holy man submitted to this heavy visitation, saying, “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked

shall I return to it, the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord." This concludes the first chapter of the book of Job.

The second chapter begins with relating that "Again, (after this) there was a day when the Sons of GOD (the good Angels) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also, (as before) came among them to present himself before the Lord." "And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." By which reply (as was explained in my last lecture) the evil spirit appears to mean that he had not in any way transgressed the bounds that were appointed him, but had only been employed in roaming about through these lower regions, according to the permission which he had received of GOD. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth GOD, and escheweth evil. And still he holdeth fast his integrity," that is, still continues

faithful to his duty, "although thou movedst Me against him, to destroy him without cause.' "And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life." The expression "skin for skin," appears to have been a proverbial saying in ancient times, to express that men will not scruple to sacrifice every one else, in order to save themselves. Satan adds, "yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life;" signifying that any one will readily part with all his wealth, both children and other possessions, if by so doing he can preserve himself from harm. The evil spirit tries to disparage and make light of the pious resignation of the patriarch by maintaining that there was nothing so very wonderful in Job's retaining his integrity, since, after all, the calamity had fallen not on himself, but only on his family and household; at the same time maliciously suggesting that the case would be very different if GOD would permit the affliction to fall on Job's own person. "But put forth Thine hand now," he declares, "and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse

Thee to Thy face." Then the Almighty, well