and with what glorious confidence did Paul glory over all the enemies of his salvation'^! Thus it is our privilege also to " know in whom we have believed," and to be assured that we shall be " more than conquerors through Him that loved us ^"] From this subject we may learn, 1. Our chief danger —
[The agency of spiritual beings is here confirmed beyond all doubt : and, if holy angels are active in our preservation, we may be well assured that evil angels are active in seeking our destruction. The truth is, that we are more in danger from the agency of evil spirits than from all other causes what- ever ; because of their malice, their subtlety, and their power. Were our eyes opened as those of Elisha's servant were, we should see ourselves surrounded with myriads of those malig- nant foes, all acting in concert with each other under Beelzebub their head, and combining their efforts to destroy us. Let us remember how they are "working in all the children of dis- obedience," and actually " leading the whole world captive at their will." Let us particularly call to mind also the power which Satan exerted over Judas, Ananias, and even the Apostle Peter himself: and let us, under a sense of our insufficiency to withstand him, cry mightily to God, " to arm us for the combat, to strengthen us with might, and to bruise him under our feet^."]
2. Our great security —
[Of ourselves we have no sufficiency for the smallest thing: all our sufficiency is of God. Let us beg of God then to " hold us up, that we may be safe." Let our eyes be di- rected to him in every danger, temporal and spiritual ; and let us " commit the keeping of om* souls to him in well-doing." Then, how numerous soever our enemies may be, " we shall not be ashamed or confounded world without end." He vdll not leave us in the hands of any enemy, but will " keep us by his power through faith unto everlasting salvation."]
^ Rom. viii. 34 — 39.
* In confirmation of this, see Isai. viii. 12 — 14. and xxvi. 20.
fc Eph. vi. 10 — 18. Isai. xh. 10. Rom. xvi. 20.