perhaps
nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. They of
the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds,
yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. Therefore, be cautious
and suffer not the devil to deceive you. You will need to be
vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the
spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and
difficulties beset you on all sides. Be careful lest you lose what
you have received. You have only made a beginning; the end is yet to
be attained." So we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as Paul
has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2,
12.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as
is common to man]: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able."

34. Paul's meaning is: I must not terrify you too much. I would in a
measure comfort you. So far you have had no temptations greater than
flesh and blood offer. They have risen among yourselves--one holding
another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries
and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor
decent. You must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error
befall you. For should Satan get hold of you in earnest with his
false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the
soul--contempt of God, for instance--such as assailed Peter and many
others of the saints, you could not stand. You are yet weak; you are
new and untried Christians. Then thank God who gives you strength to
bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is
best for you, admonishing you, through his Word, to be on your guard
against falling yet deeper into temptation.

_Tenth Sunday After Trinity_

Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11.

1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto
those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known
unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is
anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the
Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same
Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who
worketh all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the
m