Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/426

 words, came  to  Christ  and  were  converted. " We  now believe,"  they  said  to  her,  "  not  for  thy  saying,  for  we ourselves  have  heard  Him,  and  know  that  this  is  indeed the  Saviour  of  the  world." Rejoice at  your  Saviour's being  manifested  to  those  men,  and  wish  that  the  whole world may  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Him. Exert yourself to  the  utmost,  in  endeavoring  to  bring  as  many  as you  can  to  Him. "If you  walk  towards  God,"  says  St. Gregory,  "endeavor  not  to  come  to  Him  alone  without company."

I. The  Pharisees  were  continually  seeking  occasions of entrapping  Christ  in  conversation,  and  on  this  endeavored to  abuse  His  meekness. They, therefore,  bring  to Him  a  woman  taken  in  adultery,  with  the  intention,  that if He  gave  sentence  that  she  ought  to  be  dismissed,  they might accuse  Him  of  being  a  corrupter  of  the  law. The devil is  constantly  occupied  in  laying  snares  for  us  iu that  virtue,  in  which  we  most  excel. The zealous  he endeavors  to  provoke  to  anger,  the  humble  to  dejection and pusillanimity,  and  the  meek  to  too  much  indulgence. But "there  is  no  counsel  against  the  Lord,"  (Prov.  xxi. 30)  and  God  "  catcheth  the  wise  in  their  craftiness,  and disappointeth  the  counsel  of  the  wicked." (Tob. v.  13.}

II. "Jesus stooping  down,  wrote  with  his  finger  on  the ground." (John viii.  6.)  He  thus  declined  giving  a  sentence,  which  might  create  contention. Hence the  Apostle writes:  "  No  man  being  a  soldier  to  God,  entangleth himself  in  worldly  business." (2 Tim.  ii.  4.)    He  acted