And now let us hasten to follow him, and witness the combat itself, and its issue. David declined Saul's armour: but he chose him five smooth stones, placed them in his shepherd's scrip, and took his sling in his hand. Strange provision

this,' said many a stander by. And so says human reason now of the Christian's preparations for his conflict. Nevertheless let us see the end. The giant drew near. He was clothed from head to foot. His shield was borne before him. He looked about for his antagonist. Behold the stripling David! The Philistine despised him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and he cursed him by his gods, and to daunt his spirit, "Come to me," saith he, "and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." David unalarmed advances, strong in faith, and giving glory to God. "Thou comest to me," said he, "with a sword, and spear, and shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel; and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

With that he quickened his step, took a stone, and slang it: it crushed the giant's forehead to the brain, and he fell senseless to the earth. But a few moments more, and the giant was dead. Christian com

Behold the triumph of faith!

batants, be it yours to stand and see this great sight. Learn from it how you must overcome the wicked one. He may be, he is, very strong, and daring. He may, he will, attempt to daunt your spirit, even as Goliah sought to intimidate David. Youthful Christian, he will especially say to thee, it is vain to resist: I am stronger than thou art; thou must yield.'

But, if your faith is like David's, you will say, No: the battle is not to the strong: the battle is the Lord's I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God. Almighty Saviour, be with me, succour me, defend me, and I fear nothing. And so you will meet the foe, not with spear and shield, but, as did David, in the name of the Lord, and in reliance on his aid.

You will bear with you your sling, in other words your faith. You will carry in your scrip, I mean a sanctified memory, some few choice stones fit to be hurled against the Philistine, passages of God's holy word, suitable for resistance to the tempter.

Then when he draws nigh, lofty though his bearing, horrible his aspect, terrible his words, malicious his design, fear him not. Take some text, some precept, promise, or other precious portion of holy writ, such as grace has stored thy mind with, and cast it fearlessly against the foe; all the while committing thyself to the love and care of thy faithful God: and, as with David, so with thee, the sling and stone shall prevail against the Philistine.

Brethren, if you are truly Christians, you un

:

derstand something of this. You know what a spiritual conflict is. You feel it more or less every day. And times there are when the wicked one seems to make special assaults upon you. Then learn of David. Remember the way in which he went forth. Regard the devil as he did Goliah; look on him as God's enemy, your Father's enemy, and so be emboldened to meet him; your God and Father will surely go with you. Be resolute, as was David: he was determined to fight: O have no parleying with such a foe make up your mind to conflict, yea, to victory. Be mindful too, as was David, of what your God hath done for you already; recollect past deliverances: think too not of your own deliverances only, but of those which other saints have had, and so strengthen yourselves in God. And then, as David, take no strange armour. Away with all human contrivances for safety. "Put thou thy trust in the Lord." Rely on his Almighty succour. Be well furnished with his word. Yea, like David's son, and David's Lord, say ever to the tempter, "it is written :"-" it is written:"-he cannot bear that stroke. One word of God, slung in faith, is enough to bring him to the dust.

Dear Christian brethren, ye who are sore troubled by the enemy, remember David's fight of faith and ask of David's God to give you David's grace: so shall you prevail, as David did,

strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;" yea, "God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

SERMON XIII.

PSALM LXXIII. 1.

TRULY GOD IS GOOD TO ISRAEL.

WHO ever doubted this? The very man that speaks these words, the writer of this Psalm, the pious Asaph himself had been tempted to question it. "My feet," said he, "were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped."

The Lord mercifully kept him from falling. And now he writes this Psalm, moved thereto by God the Holy Ghost, and he puts on record all the temptation through which he had passed, and thankfully tells how his God had delivered him.

But the circumstances of that temptation, brethren, are such as we often see as we pass through life, and the trouble into which Asaph had been drawn, is what many a Christian now is liable to feel.

I trust therefore, that we shall find it profitable to listen to the record he has left of his experience. It contains much admonition, and much consolation. Let us pray the Lord, the Holy Spirit, to bless it to our souls.

I purpose to carry you through the Psalm,

and in so doing, I shall have to bid you observe four matters there presented to us.

I. CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ASAPH HAD WITNESSED.

II. A TEMPTATION THENCE ARISING.

III. HIS DELIVERANCE OUT OF THAT TEMPTATION, and

IV. THE HAPPY FRAME OF MIND INTO WHICH, IN THE ISSUE, HE WAS BROUGHT.

I. THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ASAPH HAD WITNESSED. What were they? He tells us in few words: "I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

He beheld around him those, of whom it was too plain that they had no fear of God before their eyes, proud men, violent men, sensual men, men who by their bad lives corrupted others, and by their atrocious words and deeds insulted and blasphemed Almighty God.

Yet what was their condition as to this life? They seemed to have no trouble; they prospered in the world; they had more than heart could wish; they increased in riches. And when they came to die," there were no bands in their death, their strength was firm," they had no fears, their minds were peaceful and undaunted.

But what made the sight of such things so painful to this good man Asaph was the great difference between his own lot, and that of these wicked men. While they were prospering, he was suffering. "All the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." His