ession. We are, perhaps, in many instances, ready to use
the opportunities that present themselves to labour for God's glory,
but how salutary a lesson have we to learn from him who, in the
interests of eternal unrighteousness, does not wait for opportunity,
but labours unceasingly to _create_ occasions for the dishonour of our
God. He goes up and down the world "seeking whom he may devour,"[17]
letting nothing slip that can forward his infernal designs.

In furthering the glory of God and the work of the kingdom we count
ourselves to have done well if we have been fairly faithful to the
opportunities that come. We hear much, among even the best of
spiritual teachers, of seizing opportunities of grace, but little is
said of _making_ such opportunities, of watching and labouring, keen
{38} and alert to turn to good account and to God's glory every
circumstance, whether or not it seem in itself to bear the hall-mark of
heaven-sent opportunity.

How much more zealous is Satan in the evil cause! He not only uses
every opportunity that comes, but he counts himself to have done little
unless he has forced occasions for wounding the divine Majesty and
enslaving souls made in the image of God.

(3) His persistency. Though it is within the power of the soul, by a
stout and persistent defence, to discourage Satan in regard to certain
particular temptations, yet in regard to temptation in general he is
never discouraged. However many times we may inflict defeat upon him,
however mighty in battle the soul of saint or sinner may wax, he never
resigns the hope that he may yet secure dominion in the heart in which
God now reigns.

What a frightening suggestion this offers! He who knows us so well,
better than we know ourselves, better than anyone knows us save God and
our Guardian Angel, sees ever in us possibilities of final and eternal
failure. There is always some definite thing in us that buoys up his
hope that he may yet be able to persuade or deceive us into rejecting
the service of God and accepting {39} his. Every time we yield to the
slightest sin or laxity, we encourage and embolden him still more,
until he feels that he can safely attack the soul that but a little
time before he feared. It is thus that we become responsible for our
own temptations, raise up occasions for sin, and give, by our often
deliberate acts, vantage ground and footing to him from which he can
drive home a deadly stroke.

(4) A fourth