thee, and the glory of them, for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it; if thou therefore wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine." (Matt. iv. 8; Luke iv. 5-7.) A difficulty has been broached here which we conceive a moment's reflection will instantly remove it has been asked, How could the devil in a moment of time show all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them? Why, had the second Adam, like unto the first, been merely man, it was impossible that he could have done so; but the omnipresent eye of the incarnate Deity was proved, by many instances, to pierce through the thin veil of mortal organization.* Not only the kingdoms of our world, but the kingdoms of all worlds were present to his view, and the vast faculties of the arch fiend fully empowered him to point out the great display. It is indeed said, that Christ was taken up by the devil into an exceeding high mountain; but should the foregoing observation be deemed just, the selection of this elevated spot could not have been made for the purpose of accelerating his view; a bleak and barren mountain was like as the wilderness (where Christ was driven amongst wild, ferocious beasts,) in the first instance, a situation calculated to augment the timid infirmity of his human nature, which it is observable, when left to its own selection, followed the natural dictates of a gentle, tranquil mind. A garden was the place to which Jesus ofttimes resorted with his disciples;† a

* Lazarus; Nathaniel.

Although our sight can behold, beyond a wilderness, a beautiful perspective, we prefer a garden for our immediate view.

garden was the place which he, when following his own inclination, even chose for the endurance of his most agonizing conflict with the power of darkness. But however straitened and distressed the Redeemer was by the sufferings He sustained, the last impious proposition of hell's infernal chieftain roused his just indignation: with abhorrence he replied, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him." "All Scrip

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ture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." And to this inspiration we are solely indebted for the wonderful communications we have just been contemplating; no mortal eye having witnessed (as was the case during Christ's transfiguration upon the mountain Tabor, and agony in the garden of Gethsemane,) this very distressing transaction. In our brief comment on it, we had occasion to notice that Christ took on him our infirmities; and in another passage of Scripture it is said, that " He was made sin for us;" intimating, that He also took our nature on him in a polluted state: and we are further told, that He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin; which perhaps, could not with truth have been said, had the human nature of Christ been entirely free from every irregular bent. This is, however, certain, that whatever portion of the malignant poison

infused into man by the inveterate foe, was contained in the man Christ Jesus, that it never was allowed to evince itself by the actual commitment of sin. The flesh He had doubtless treated as He afterward did the devil-" Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me."

The history mentions, soon after the termination of Christ's arduous conflict in the wilderness, that he was at this era about thirty years of age, previous to which every unlawful inclination, we may presume, had been effectually subdued : and wherewith should a young man cleanse his ways?-why, by taking heed thereto, according to God's word. And as our blessed Lord repulsed the evil one, by those unerring rules that are therein contained, there is reason to believe, that He repulsed the flesh by its most perfect precepts; leaving us in all things an example that we should follow his steps. And entire command having been once obtained, and henceforth without doubt maintained, over the natural appetite, hunger, there is no ground to suppose that he abstained from a participation of those bounties which God gives us richly to enjoy, though He thereby incurred the censure of being a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber: but wisdom is justified of all her children. And it is worthy of remark, that when our Lord directs his disciples how to fast, (an abstinence which perhaps for some persons may occasionally be as morally necessary, as it often is physically so,) He leaves the time for their so doing entirely optional, only enjoining "that they keep up all

agreeableness of appearance and cheerfulness of behaviour, and that they appear not unto men to fast."* And probably the persons who may be most disposed to exercise this kind of self-denial are, of all others, the most unfit to do so, if stimulated to such a penance by natural gloom and erring superstition. superstition. Piety and propriety both point out the day on which we solemnly commemorate the sufferings of our dear Redeemer, as utterly improper for a day of feasting; and as every way suited for a day of abstinence.

But to return; all the evangelists concur in stating that soon after the glorious triumph Christ had obtained over hell's malignant chieftain, that He commenced his public ministry. St. Luke records, that He "returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all." (Luke iv. 14, 15.) "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and he healed him. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation: and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?

* Talbot.

therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, (here speaking of the Spirit as a coadjutor,) then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (Matt. xii. 22—31.) "But when they shall lead you and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." (Mark xiii. 11.) In Luke xii. 11, 12, the parallel thus runs : "When they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." But in Luke xxi. 12, our Lord, when again enforcing the parallel admonition to those we have just inserted, directs their dependance to be placed on himself: When brought before kings and rulers, for my name's-sake, settle it in your hearts not to meditate before what to answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And the parallel in Matthew x. 19, directs reliance on the paternal Deity: "but when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." These passages concur to prove, that Fa