"'Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.'" Rotha looked at the words, after she had done reading. "Mr. Digby," she said then again, "can I help my will?" "No," said he, "for you are a poor bond-slave. But see what is written there. What you cannot do, Christ can." "Why don't he do it, then?" she said defiantly. "You have not asked him, or wished him to do it." "But why shouldn't he do it without my asking, or wishing, if he can?" "It is not his way. He says, 'Ask, and ye shall receive'; but he promises nothing to those who do not apply to him. And the application must be in good earnest too, Rotha; not the form of the thing, but the truth. 'Blessed are they that _hunger and thirst_ after righteousness; for they shall be filled.'" "Then, if I asked him, could he change my will?" "He says, he can make you free. It was one thing he came to do; to deliver people from the bondage of sin and the power of Satan." "The power of Satan!" said Rotha. "I am not under _his_ power!" "Certainly you are. There are only two parties in the world; two kingdoms; those who do not belong to the one, belong to the other." "But Mr. Digby," said Rotha, now much exercised, "I hate the devil as much as you do." "Don't help, Rotha. 'From the power of Satan to God,' is the turn people take when they become Christians." "What makes you think I am under his power?" "Because I see you are not under the rule of Christ. And because I see you are doing precisely what Satan would have you do." "What?" said Rotha. "Refusing the Lord Jesus Christ, or putting off accepting him." Rotha was silent. Her breast was heaving, her breath coming thick and short. Mr. Digby's conclusions were very disagreeable to her; but what could she say? "I can't help my will," she said doggedly. "You see you are not honest with yourself. You have just learned that there is a remedy for that difficulty." "But Mr. Digby," said Rotha, "how is it that you can do what you like?" He smiled down at her, a pleasant, frank smile, which witnessed to the truth of his words and wrought more with Rotha than the words themselves; while the eyes that she admired rested on her with grave penetration. "There is an old promise the Lord gave his people a great while ago; that in the new covenant which he would make with them in Christ, he would write all his laws in their hearts. He has done that for me." "You mean--" said Rotha. "Yes, go on, and say what you think I mean." "You mean,--that what you like to do, is just what God likes you to do." "And never anything else, Rotha," he said gravely. "Well, Mr. Digby," said Rotha slowly, "after all, you have given up yourself." "And very glad to be rid of that personage."