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 How true  it  is  that  each  should  work  out  with  fear and trembling  his  salvation! Solomon in  all  his glory once  asked  a  Grecian  sage:  "Am  I  not  the happiest  of  men?  "  but  the  other,  shaking  his  head, replied: "Wait  till  I  have  seen  the  end." And oh, what a  sad  end  was  that! Solomon, type  of  Christ, model of  faith  and  hope  and  love  and  wisdom,  God's favorite  among  kings  and  men,  so  rich  in  merit  that one would  have  expected  him  to  pass  bodily  like Enoch or  Elias  from  earth  to  heaven,  yet  Solomon fell and  ended  his  days  in  lust  and  multiple  idolatry. As frail  as  the  flowers  the  Saviour  compared  him  to, he was  cut  down  suddenly  and  cast  into  the  oven. What a  contrast  between  that  hoary-headed  apostate and the  radiant  form  of  the  young  king  in  the  Temple on  the  day  of  dedication! What a  lesson  for  all of us,  priest  and  people  alike! When Hazael  offered Eliseus presents  the  prophet  wept,  foreseeing  the atrocities Hazael  was  soon  to  perpetrate. Many a confessor  would  weep,  notwithstanding  his  penitent's evident  sincerity,  were  he  vouchsafed  a  look  into  that penitent's future. As Moses  placed  his  hand  in  his bosom and  drew  it  out  covered  with  leprosy,  so  many a hand  that  beats  its  breast  for  sorrow  comes  away covered with  sin. Watch ye,  therefore,  and  pray — pray for  strength  against  temptation,  and  for  the grace of  perseverance.

Brethren, I  would  not  have  you  understand  that our perseverance  so  depends  on  God  as  to  free  us from  all  responsibility. No, we  have  a  part,  a  duty — which, briefly  stated,  is:  to  avoid  the  occasions  of