Page:Spiritualcombat.djvu/112

Rh "Cras, cras," is the raven's cry ("to-morrow, to-morrow"). "I must first settle this or that, arrange my affairs, remove this obstacle, and then I shall be able to attend to spiritual matters with greater tranquillity."

This is a snare which has caught, and still catches a vast number of people; and its success arises from our own negligence and carelessness, which make us, in a business in which both the honour of God and the salvation of our soul are at stake, so slow to seize that most powerful weapon "Now, now," wherefore "not now?"

"To-day, to-day," wherefore "to-morrow?" saying to yourself, "Even supposing this 'by and by,' this 'to-morrow,' be granted me, is it a safe course, and the way of victory, to choose first to be wounded and to be guilty of fresh irregularities?"

You see, then, beloved, that to escape this snare, and to overcome the enemy, the remedy is, as has been already mentioned, instant correspondence with the Divine suggestions and inspirations; ready obedience to them, I say, and not mere resolves, for these often are deceptive, and many from various causes have remained deceived by them.

The first reason is, as above referred to, that our good resolves are not based upon self-distrust and trust in God. Our excessive pride—which