November 24

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith wocketh patience

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men literally, and upbeaideth not; and it shall be given him

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away

11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth; so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways

12 Blessed in the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when last hath conceived, a bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." "Patience is the ballast of the soul, that will keep it from rolling and tumbling in the greatest storms. And he that will venture out without this, to make him sail even and steady, will certainly make shipwreck and drown himself—first, in the cares and sorrows of this world, and then in perdition."—Hopkins.

"He will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape." Make a way—cut a new road to get you out.

"Though it is trying to be tempted, it is worse to be without any temptation. Not to be tempted of the devil is the greatest temptation out of hell. The devil's war is better than the devil's peace. Carnal hypocrisy is a dumb and silent thing; but it is terrible to be carried to hell without any noise of feet. The wheels of Satan's chariot are sometimes oiled with carnal rest, and then they go without rattling or noise."—Selected.

The place for true virtue is where virtue is tempted. "No man is formed in a cave; that is the place for bats. No man is formed as an anchorite or ascetic. You are to be living men among living men, overcoming evil tendencies and temptations. It is there that God calls you to be full-orbed men in Christ Jesus"

Closet Promise.—To Him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life—Rev. ii. 7.

"I never found any so religious and devout, that he had not sometimes a withdrawing of grace, or felt not some decrease of zeal. There was never saint so highly rapt and illuminated, who first or last was not tempted.

"For he is not worthy of the high contemplation of God, who hath not been exercised with some tribulation for God's sake.

"For temptation going before is wont to be a sign of comfort to follow.

"For unto those that are proved by temptations heavenly comfort is promised. 'To him that overcometh,' saith He, 'I will give to eat of the tree of life.'"—Thomas A. Kempis.