or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king." Micaiah, a prophet of God, was then consulted; and he said, "Behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee." (1 Kings xxi. 6, 23.) The infatuated king, willing to be deceived, and having already renounced the worship of the God of his fathers, ordered Micaiah to be shut up in prison, and went to Ramoth-gilead, where he was killed in battle, and was brought home a dead man, instead of returning "in peace," as he fondly expected. When it is said, “The Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets," the meaning clearly is, that as these men had apostatized from God, and given themselves up to the worship of devils, He abandoned them to the evils they had perversely chosen; and they and the king were alike by wicked spirits deceived to their ruin. Their abandonment to "lying spirits was the punishment of sin previously committed.

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The case of the demoniacs of the New Testament appears to have borne a near resemblance to that of Saul, the unfaithful king of Israel; yet they were not exactly alike. The "evil spirit" that "troubled" Saul was sent as the penalty of personal transgression; but some of the demoniacs were thus "troubled " from their childhood, before they were capable of actual sin. Saul appears also to have had seasons of relief; but we have no intimations of any such intervals in respect of the demoniacs, some of whom were "grievously tormented," both in mind and body; being deprived of speech, of hearing, of self-control, inspired with mischievous

propensities, and even driven from human society. From these bodily affections Saul was also happily exempt.

The question naturally arises, Why were these cases of diabolical possession so numerous in the Holy Land in the time of our Lord, and not at other times and in other places? Without pretending to know all the reasons for this part of the Divine conduct, we may suggest,

1. It was of the utmost importance that, in connexion with the Gospel revelation, mankind should understand the true character of Satan, and of the legions of fallen angels associated with him in attempting the ruin of our race. It is not as a matter of mere speculation, and much less of amusement, that Christians are warned of the existence of these unseen adversaries, to whose wiles and assaults all are alike liable. Satan was "a murderer from the beginning;" and his thoroughly malignant character is exhibited in those parts of the Gospel history which describe the condition of the unhappy persons whom he and his infernal confederates were allowed to torment. To rescue mankind from the power of the devil was one object of Christ's manifestation in the flesh; and to be delivered from such a power is no light mercy. men who are thus rescued should beware of ever again forming a league with him, by entertaining his projects in respect of erroneous doctrine, or of sinful practice. All who live in sin are confederate with him. They are "the children of the wicked one," and are of their "father the devil," (Matt. xiii. 38; John viii. 44,) with whom they will for ever perish. To maintain a

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ceaseless and determined war with him is every man's calling and interest.

2. The relief of the demoniacs by our Saviour Christ demonstrates His power over these enemies of mankind. They quailed before Him in the days of His humiliation; they fled from His presence, and at the sound of His voice; and they could not even enter into the swine till they had obtained His permission; nor can they tempt any one beyond the limits He has assigned. He was "manifested to destroy the works of the devil; as His Gospel spreads among the nations of the earth, Satan's power declines; he is bruised under the feet of every true believer; and in the last day he and his legions will be condemned by the Almighty Son of God to the misery assigned to them, especially as the adversaries of the human race, whom He has redeemed, and whose blood He will thus avenge.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE OVERRULING PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

IN nothing are the wisdom and goodness of God more strikingly manifest, than in rendering the evil actions of men and of the fallen angels subservient to His own glory, and the fulfilment of His own holy and gracious purposes. Examples of this kind abound in Holy Scripture; they may be distinctly traced in the history of the church and of the world, and in the events of daily life: they engage the attention of thoughtful persons, and deepen their impression of an overruling providence. Acts of declared opposition to the truth of God are often rendered a means of its wider diffusion, and of recommending it to the practical attention of mankind; and acts of hostility to individual men are often made to advance their interests.

The first and most obvious instance of this kind that offers itself to our attention is that of the original transgression. By the instigation of that old serpent, the devil and Satan, our first parents were drawn from their allegiance to God, forfeited the enjoyment of all good, dishonoured their Maker and Lawgiver, and brought a malediction upon themselves, their posterity, and the earth on which they dwelt. Their fall appeared to be the triumph of the wicked one; but this was of short

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duration, for the scheme of redemption was prepared beforehand, and was immediately brought into operation. By this scheme, blessings more rich and numerous are provided for mankind than were lost by transgression; and the glory that redounds to God surpasses all thought. The moral attributes of God, His wisdom, grace, mercy, patience, longsuffering, holiness, and justice, are seen in their brightest manifestations; and the fact that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Divine Unity appears in the perfection of its evidence. In love to mankind the Father gives His glorious and coeternal Son as their Redeemer and Saviour; the Son, in compliance with His Father's will, and in compassion to mankind, assumes their nature, and submits to die in their stead; and the Holy Spirit, in honour of Christ, comes down from heaven to apply the benefits of redemption, and to carry on His operations in the church and the world till the end of time. With the revelation of this great mystery the worship of the church is in exact correspondence, while her members exclaim with united hearts and voices, "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost!"

But for the fall, there would have been no incarnation of the Son of God; no display of redeeming love; no gift of the Holy Ghost as a Comforter and Sanctifier; no mediatorial government of the world, exhibiting the grace and mercy of God in combination with His justice; no "noble army of martyrs;" no meekness under injuries, fortitude in the endurance of pain, patience in sickness, contentment in poverty, no heroic daring in times of persecution, no deeds of charity to the poor, no visitation of the prisoner and the afflicted, no holy resig