ing man.

He desires to have even God's dear children, that he may "sift them as wheat." He considers them, as he "considered" Job. He studies their characters, marks their weak points, and then suits his temptations accordingly.

He has also earthly instruments at command. The four hundred prophets of Baal were all his servants, doing his work. So now wicked men are his tools. This world's things his arms. And truly none secure but those who are dressed in the armour of God, have Him for their shield, and buckler, and house of defence, and have Christ to intercede and pray for them.

are

Here is the comforting truth to put along side of this dreadful sight of Satanic power and malice. God is stronger than Satan. Christ is ever before hand with him, foreseeing his devices, and praying against them. Satan's power is limited. He cannot go beyond what God permits him to do. He tried it in the case of Job. But when God said, "Behold he is in thine hand," He added, "but save his life." He tried to ruin Peter wholly, but Christ prayed for him, and he rose again.

How important the question, to each of us, is God on our side? We know, we

are certain Satan plots against our souls, seeks to blind our minds, keeps us from Christ, and tries to ruin our souls. We know also that in the case of many many souls, Satan is very successful. He holds thousands captives. He will hereafter claim very many who have lived in his service here, and have not known Christ, or sought His deliverance.

How important the enquiry, am I delivered from his bondage? Has Christ, the Stronger Man, entered my soul and cast Satan out? While Satan plots against me, does Christ, as for Peter, pray for me? Are my sins and failings answered for by Christ, so that Satan has nothing against me?

O! Reader, do you whole armour of God? day that you may be

dress daily in the Do you pray every delivered from this

evil one, and that no strong delusion may ever be sent you, to cause you to believe a lie? Do you watch against him, and pray that you may not be ignorant of his devices, or be overcome by them? If you do this you shall stand now and in the evil day. "If God be for us, who can be against us."

PRAYER.

O GOD ALMIGHTY! save me from the power of evil spirits. Let not Satan plot successfully against me.

temptation.

Deliver me from

Blessed Saviour! pray for me, that my faith in Thee may never fail. Give me thy

grace, that I may

inclinations of my

advantage over me.

watch against the sinful

heart, lest Satan get

Give me thy strength,

that I may resist sin from without and from within. Let thy Good Spirit dwell within me; lead me and sanctify me wholly. AMEN.

JEHOSHAPHAT.

"Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the fore-front of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy: for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

"And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the Lord.

"And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. "So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about." 2 CHRON. xx. 27-30.

IN studying the characters of the Old Testament saints, we must have often observed there is scarcely one in whom there was not some great failing. If they had any special weakness showing itself by some act of wickedness, that act is generally told us. No doubt it is in order that we may learn not to think too highly of them, and also to make us remember that they were men like ourselves, and that whatever excellency of character they had, was owing to the grace

I

of God,—the same grace which God vouchsafes through the Gospel now.

And this we shall find to have been the case with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. He was one of the best kings Judah had. It is said of him, "He walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim, but sought to the Lord God of his fathers, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel." Yet Jehoshaphat had his faults, and one of these is related of him. He made sinful alliances with wicked kings.

In viewing his character we will first look at him as thus tempted to go astray, and will then regard his good qualities and doings.

The first error Jehoshaphat committed in this way was when he joined Ahab the wicked king of Israel, "He joined affinity with Ahab." No doubt the temptation to do this was great. He was flattered by Ahab's seeking his friendship and help. He saw at first no evil in helping a friend, for Ahab asked him to help him with his army, in getting back what seemed to be his right. Yet in this he was wrong. He sinned and was reproved. He went home after the battle, and the prophet came out to meet