And which of us has not to lead a life of danger? I do not mean
bodily danger; of that, there is little enough--perhaps too little--
in England now; but of danger to our hearts, minds, characters? Oh,
my friends, I pity those who do not think themselves in danger every
day of their lives, for the less danger they see around them, the
more danger there is. There is not only the common danger of
temptation, but over and above it, the worse danger of not knowing
temptation when it comes. Who will be most likely to walk into pits
and mires upon the moor--the man who knows that they are there around
him, or the man who goes on careless and light of heart, fancying
that it is all smooth ground? Woe to you, young people, if you fancy
that you are to have no woe! Danger to you, young people, if you
fancy yourselves in no danger!

"This is sad and dreary news"--some of you may say. Ay, my friends,
it would be sad and dreary news indeed; and this earth would be a
very sad and dreary place; and life with all its troubles and
temptations, would not be worth having, if it were not for the
blessed news which the Gospel for this day brings us. That makes up
for all the sadness of the Epistle; that gives us hope; that tells us
of one who has been through life, and through death too, yet without
sin. That tells us of one who has endured a thousand times more
temptation than we ever shall, a thousand times more trouble than we
ever shall, and yet has conquered it all; and that He who has thus
been through all our temptations, borne all our weaknesses, is our
King, our Saviour, who loves us, who teaches us, who has promised us
His Holy Spirit, to make us like Himself, strong, brave, and patient,
to endure all that man or devil, or our own low animal tempers and
lusts, can do to hurt us. The Gospel for this day tells us how He