It may seem an unimportant act, but if it be against the honour and glory of God, and not confessed and forsaken, it is an act of allegiance to the Destroyer, a link wilfully bound beyond all mortal power to sever. None but the Son of Man, who held Him fast by God, can loose the bands of those sins with which we are tied and bound. That God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ.' (1 Pet. iv. 11.)

The Devil felt the steadfast Rock against which he aimed his fiery darts, which could not penetrate, but each recoiled upon himself; his broken faith, the trust he had cast away and trampled under foot, had left their aching void, which evil could not fill. He could not pierce the Shield of Faith held by the Son of Man, but the evil thought was ready,—might he not urge on that trust in God beyond the ground of Faith-the Word of God! One step beyond that ground of Faith would be Presumption, which is Sin. If that could be, the Tempter would prevail, and the whole human race perish hopelessly in the Second Adam's Sin.

'And he brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a Pinnacle of the Temple, and said unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from hence; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee; and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.' The Tempter took up the solemn declaration, It is

written.' He took his fiery dart from the sacred Words of the Most High, the Father's Promise to the Son; but he dropped the Truth that pointed it, and armed it with a lie. In all Thy ways,' was the divine Promise. No Promise meets the soul out of the way which God hath appointed for us. 'The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead.' (Prov. xxi. 16.) 'Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.' (Prov. iv. 26, 27.) What is evil, but to venture where God does not lead thee, where His Promise does not meet thee, where His Blessing rests not on thee? Therefore the earnest prayers, 'Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.' (Ps. xvii. 5.) 'Cause me to hear Thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.' (Ps. cxliii. 8.)

'Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.' That last word of appropriating faith, Thy God!' may have been the Word that sealed the Victory and Defeat. Fallen man, at enmity with God, afraid of God, not reconciled, not brought nigh by the Blood of Christ, refusing to seek to be accepted in the Beloved Son of God, has never known that blest relationship, and hears, unmoved, those final words, 'Thy God!'

But the Tempter staggered back beneath the twicerepeated sound. There is REMEMBRANCE in Hell; there is Memory in the Lost. The Devil knew that broken chain, that severed tie; he saw its heavenly lustre uniting the Son of Man unto the Father-a lustre that his dark Temptations could not dim, nor his worst assaults loosen. The Devil turned and fled. 'And behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.'

With what adoring gratitude and love should we draw nigh unto the Conqueror over Sin and Satan! Hath He not triumphed gloriously, for us men and for our salvation? Thou lovest Righteousness, and hatest Wickedness: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. . . . . Therefore shall the People praise Thee for ever and ever.' (Ps. xlv.) 'This God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our Guide, even unto death.' (Ps. xlviii. 14.)

60

CHAPTER VII.

THE CURSE-BEARER.

AND THE SOLDIERS PLATTED A CROWN OF THORNS AND

PUT IT ON HIS HEAD.'-JOHN, XIX. 2.

'INSTEAD OF THE THORN SHALL COME UP THE FIR TREE, AND INSTEAD OF THE BRIER SHALL COME UP THE MYRTLE

TREE; AND IT SHALL BE TO THE LORD FOR A NAME (OR MEMORIAL), FOR AN EVERLASTING SIGN WHICH SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF (OR ABOLISHED).'—ISA. LV. 13.

6 AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE A PRICKING BRIER UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, NOR GRIEVING THORN.'-EZEK. XXVIII. 24.

'THEN came Jesus forth, wearing the Crown of Thorns and the purple Robe, and Pilate saith unto them, BEHOLD THE MAN!' This Proclamation of the Roman Judge, BEHOLD THE MAN!' has rung through eighteen Centuries of Time; unnumbered Generations have heard and echoed on the words; and yet to-day it thrills the world; countless hearts tremble in feeling or are hushed to silence at the sound. And whence this mighty, this unequalled power? Imperial Proclamations, affecting empires, have fallen to the ground, or lie embedded in stones

or books alone. This, as generation follows generation, is written on innumerable hearts for ever. He who uttered the Proclamation knew not of Whom he spake; he thought not his word or act would reach beyond the captive at his Bar; or live beyond the passing tumult he sought to quell in that small Roman Province. But through the Imperial Empire that Proclamation rang, more mighty far than any voice of Cæsar. There is no speech nor language where its voice is not heard. Its sound is gone out into all Lands, and its words unto the ends of the World; and whether read in the secret Chamber, or heard in the great Congregation, no word of man has ever had such universal power to still to listening awe the human heart.

Pilate, who uttered that Proclamation, might have known of Whom he spake. He had already questioned, and Christ had answered; but when the inquiry reached to the discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart, Pilate, who sat in Judgment on the Christ, would not judge himself; he turned from the searching Light of the Truth; would not hear the soul-convincing, soul-converting answer; rather would he give sentence to seal in death those lips that breathed the quickening Spirit of Everlasting Life.

Who is He whom Pilate proclaimed, saying, 'Behold the Man!' He wears a Crown. Is He then a King? When asked Himself, He answered, 'Thou sayest that I am a King.' In Heaven He is Christ,