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quainted with evil in the most painful manner; as our first parents were, who did not know what evil was until bitter experience informed them of its fatal effects. To those who have been withheld from sinful indulgences, by the restraints of good education, he magnifies the advantage of obtaining that liberty to sin of which they have been hitherto deprived, or the happiness to be found in the knowledge of evil. To those who

have been accustomed to sit in the lap of indulgence, he suggests plausible excuses for the furtherance of their evil desires. The voluptuous, the covetous, the ambitious, are each supplied with allurements adapted to their several inclinations. The Christian being the subject of a depraved nature, is exposed to the temptations of this subtil and powerful adversary. Inherent corruption incapacitates him for resistance to the wiles of the devil. The carnal mind is pleased with those things which are contrary to the will of God. Hence arises the warfare in the Christian between the flesh and the spirit; the law in the members and the law of the mind striving and struggling together for the mastery. Satan uses all his wiles, all his crafty ways, to harden the hearts of men against the fear of God, and to betray them into sin; knowing that while sin is indulged, his authority is retained, the transgressor is safe under his controul, being tied and bound with the chain of his sins. All who are

living in sin are deceived by the wiles of the devil. The true Christian alone withstands him. But it is not by his own might or power that he is able to do this. His own innate strength for this contest is weakness. Therefore he has need to pray continually, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;10 from the evil of sin, and the power of the evil one. The only means by which Satan and his hosts can be effectually resisted, is that which is recommended in the text. The apostle says, My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. This is the

Third point to be considered. Divine strength alone, the mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace is sufficient for them that trust in Him, whose strength is made perfect in their weakness," is adequate to enable us to resist the devil, and to strive against sin with effect. Without this aid, all attempt at resistance is futile. But those who earnestly seek help of the Lord against the mighty power of Satan and his angels, shall obtain it. Watchfulness and circumspection are to be united with faith and prayer. Without this, it is intimated, we cannot possibly withstand in the evil day.

The apostle says, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

10 Matthew vi. 13.

11 2 Corinthians xii. 9.

We must be equipped with the whole armour of God in order to be able to stand with confidence, and to wrestle in close conflict with our subtil and powerful adversary. Without this protection we cannot come to close quarters with him, and maintain our ground. The apostle enters into particulars respecting the various pieces of Divine armour, with which the Christian is to be clad for his protection against the wiles and assaults of the devil. He says, Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth. This is supposed to refer to the ancient and eastern habit of wearing loose flowing garments. These were girded up about the loins when they engaged in any business which required activity. It is also said that soldiers usually wore a girdle to keep their armour together, and to carry their weapons. In order that we may stand in the evil day, our loins must be girt about, or encircled, with truth. This may denote the necessity of self-denial with regard to all those corrupt affections which are natural to fallen man. It is principally by means of these, called by St. Peter fleshly lusts, or carnal desires, which war against the soul,12 that Satan assaults mankind. These afford an inlet to his temptations, by which he obtains access to the minds of men. To caution us against complying with them, our Saviour reminds us, I am He that searcheth the hearts and reins.13 But here the girdle of truth is spoken of as the means of pre

servation from the assaults of our spiritual adversaries. The Christian is to be fortified in his mind by the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, whereby he is enabled to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;1a and his affections are raised from earthly to heavenly things; from grovelling here below, to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.15 Without self-denial, or mortifying the members of the earth, there is no possibility of withstanding the wiles of the devil. St. Peter therefore exhorts Christians to gird up the loins of their mind, and be sober, or vigilant against their spiritual enemy.

12

Connected with this is, having on the breastplate of righteousness. This is elsewhere termed the breastplate of faith and love. The breastplate is that piece of armour which covers the heart. The righteousness which preserves the heart from injury is the righteousness of Christ. This is embraced by faith, and held fast by love. Faith in Christ as the Lord our righteousness, our strength and our Redeemer, and love to Him on account of what He has done for us, and is to us, is the believer's safeguard from all the attacks which Satan may make upon his heart. Nothing else but faith in the righteousness and redemption

121 Peterii. 11; i. 13. 18 Rev.ii. 23. 14 Eph. iv. 21,22. 15 Col. iii.1.

of Christ will protect him from the charges which the accuser of the brethren brings against him, and to the truth of which his own conscience

cannot but assent. Some persons understand by the breastplate of righteousness, uprightness of heart before God. But however needful this may be, as it assuredly is a matter of the utmost importance to be maintained by the believer in Christ, such is the deceitfulness of the human heart, that this uprightness cannot be relied on as a defence from the wiles of the devil. When the Christian is assaulted by the temptations of Satan, it were no wonder if he should sometimes even suspect himself to be a hypocrite; since there is so much corruption within him, of which he is painfully sensible. But when he looks to the righteousness of Christ, he sees that to be all-sufficient for his preservation in the Divine favour; so that relying upon it, he may draw nigh to God at all times with his humble supplications and thanksgivings, notwithstanding the evils which he feels and deplores in his own heart, and which otherwise would prevent him from presuming to go into the Divine presence, because of his personal unworthiness. But trusting to the righteousness of his Redeemer, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe,16 he looks up with confidence to

16 Romans iii. 22.

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