LXXVII. THE MEANS OF DEFEATING SATAN'S MALICE. 1 Pet. v. 8, 9. Be fober, be vigilant: because your adverfary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, feeking whom he may devour; whom refijt, jedfast in the faith. THERE are many who deny the influences of the Holy Spirit No wonder therefore if the agency of Satan be called in question But there is abundant proof in the Scriptures that Satan exercifes a power. over the minds of men St. Peter had learned this truth by bitter experi -ence In this view the caution he gives us is worthy of particular attention I. The malice of Satan Satan is the great adverfary of mankind- It was he who caufed the fall of our firft parents --He has exerted a fimilar influence over all their defcendants He ftill maintains his enmity against the feed of the woman - He is juftly compared to " a roaring lion"-- The lion prowls with fubtilty in fearch of prey- He fuits his temptations to us with aftonithing craftHe draws us into his fnare before we are aware of his defigns To be acquainted with his devices is a moft eminent and ufeful part of Chriftian knowledge-] He is active [The lion ranges far and wide in fearch of his preyAnd Satan" walks to and fro throughout the earth & ". He ceafes not from his exertions day or night He He is the more diligent as knowing that his time is limited1 "He has legions of emiffaries acting in concert with him If at any time he fufpend his attacks, it is but for a feafon, that he may return afterwards with greater advantage-] He is cruel [The lion little regards the agonies which he occafions→ Nor has Satan any compaffion for the fouls which he deftroys The favage animal kills to fatisfy the calls of nature— His exertions ferve only to increafe his own guilt and mifery Yet is he infatiable in his thirft for our condemnation". -] He is powerful lion [Feebie is the refiftance of a lamb against the voracious Still more impotent are men before "the god of this world Satan has a limited power over the elements themselves”— The ungodly are altogether fubjected to his will Nor would the faints have the fmalleft power to refift him, if God fhould deliver them into his hands P] If we believe this reprefentation of Satan's malice, we cannot but defire to know II. The means of defeating it Our adverfary, though great, is not invincibleThere is one ftronger than he, that can overcome him And God has prescribed means whereby we also vanquish him Moderation may [An undue attachment to the things of time and sense gives him a great advantage over us→ He 1 Rev. xii. 12. * Mark v. 9. 1 Compare Luke iv. 13. with Luke xxii. 53. This is ftrongly intimated in the word xaramín," he would fwallow us up." Job i. 12, 19. He is called "the prince of the power of the air.” ? Many who have appeared lights in the church have been swept away by the tail of this great dragon, Rev. xii. 3, 4. 4 Luke xi. 21, 22. He will not fail to affault us on our weak fide But a deadnefs to the world will in fome meafure difarm him He prevailed not againft our Lord, becaufe he found no irregular affection in him Nor could he to ealily overcome us if we difregarded earthly things A contempt of life has been a principal mean whereby the faints and martyrs in all ages have triumphed over him—] Vigilance [Unwatchfulnefs, even in a victorious army, expofes it to defeat- Much more muft it fubject us to the power of our fubtle enemy St. Peter had experienced its baneful effects He had been warned of Satan's intention to affault him". He had been commanded to pray left he fhould fall by the temptation - But he flept when he fhould have been praying "— He ftands in this refpect, like Lot's wife, a monument to future generations But vigilance on our part will counteract the defigns of Satan The armed Chriftian, watching unto prayer, must be victorious -] Fortitude [The timid Chriftian falls into a thoufand fnares We are called to wrestle and contend with him- Faith [Unbelief is a powerful inftrument in the hands of Satan He excites it in us that he may turn us from the faith- Wė It was he who inftigated Judas to treachery, and Ananias to falfehood; but he wrought by means of their covetoufnefs, John xiii. 2. Acts v. 3. • John xiv. 30. * Luke xxii. 40. a Eph. vi. 18. d Eph. iv. 27. Eph. vi. 12. f James iv. 7. Satan is not only checked but terrified, and van quithed by the refiftance of the weakest Chriftian, We fhould not fuffer ourselves to be moved from the hope of the gofpel This is our anchor whereby we mnft outride the storm & [Let not the ungodly defpife this adverfary— But let them feek deliverance from him through the gofpel -- And let the godly be continually on their guard against him So shall they experience that promised bleffing"] Luke i. 78, 79. Through the tender mercy of our God, the Day-fpring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that fit in darkness and in the fhadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. OUR Saviour's birth, though in many refpects pecu, liarly low and abject, was attended with fome circumftances not unworthy the occafion We might mention his miraculous conception, the acclamations of angels, &c. &c. But we fhall only advert to the account given in the context of his Forerunner, who was prophefied of by Ifaiah-named by the angel betore his conception in the womb-born in a preternatural way-celebrated by feveral to whom the fpirit of prophecy was given after it had been withdrawn from Ifrael three hundred yearscommiffioned to prepare men for the reception of the Saviour, and to publish the tidings in the text I. Our Saviour's incarnation His birth is fet forth under the idea of the rifing fun He is fpoken of to this effect in the Old Teftament Similar defcriptions are alfo given of him in the New Teftament He admirably aufwers to thefe defcriptions 1. In himself · [He is to us what the fun is in the material worldHe is the author of all light, natural, intellectual, fpiritual - 2. In the effects produced by him [The face of nature withers or revives, according as the influence of the fun upon it is increafed or diminished So the foul continues dead or is quickened, according as the Sun of righteoufnefs withholds or imparts his invigorating rays-] He hath visited our benighted world [A dawning of his appearance had been long vifible in the promises, in the prophetic writings, and in the Mofaic ritual But at his incarnation he began more clearly to illumine this horizon He diffufed a light around him by his doctrine and example They, who could fee through the veil of his flesh, beheld his glory -] This event is as interefting now as at the firft moment it took place We thould endeavour to have our fouls deeply impreffed with it II. The caufes of it We confine our attention to thofe mentioned in the text The final caufe of it was the falvation of man able [The ftate both of Jews and Gentiles was truly deplor Nor is our ftate, if we be unregenerate, fuperior to theirs― We are" in darknefs" with refpect to our molt important concerns We a By Balaam, Numb, xxiv. 17. by Ifaiah, ix. 2. with Matt. iv. 16. by Malachi, iv. 2. b By John Baptift, John i. 9. by our Lord himfelf, John viii. 12. by Peter, 2 Pet. i. 19. by John the evangelift, Rev. xxii. 16. and again as the light of heaven itfelf, Rev. xxi. 23. • Gen. i. 3. ⚫ James i. 17. Job xxxviii. 36. f John i. 14. |