010 i>. CORINTHIANS, XL 2,3. [2040.
the happiness of man in innocence, and never rested till he had robbed him of it, so he envies all who are brought into this near relation to the Lord Jesus, and never ceases from his efforts to deprive them of it.
The state which becomes those who are thus espoused to Christ, is that of perfect simplicity —
[A person, espoused to a fellow-creature only, ought to possess a simplicity of mind towards him : she should have no interest, no desire, no wish distinct from his. Thus there should be a singleness of eye in all who are united in these holy bonds to our Lord Jesus Christ. There should be no dependence on any thing but on him alone. The constant habit of the believer's mind must be, " In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." Nor must the betrothed person indulge a wish after any one but him to whom she is espoused: she must " forget her own people and her father's house, if she would have her Lord to find pleasure in her beauty*^." She must possess also a modest, humble, child-like spirit, free from all pride, conceit, and vain-glory. In a word, she must be wholly his, in body, soul, and spirit; " an Israelite indeed, and without guile."]
But from this state Satan is ever striving to divert us —
[Innumerable emissaries has he at his command ready to take advantage of us. Many even of our fellow-creatures are used by him as his instruments : many who are, in fact, no other than " false Apostles and deceitful workers," under his influence transform themselves into " Apostles of Christ," even as that wicked fiend himself assumes the semblance of an angel of light'." They will profess a great regard for truth, and under that garb will endeavour to commend their own erroneous principles. Under a profession of inculcating sublimer views of the Gospel, they will sap its very founda- tions, or build a superstructure altogether adverse to it, relaxing the obligations of the law, under a pretence of en- hancing the excellency of the Gospel : and, as sure as any embrace their pernicious tenets, they are despoiled of all vir- gin modesty, and puffed up with pride and self-conceit. The same kind of artifices which Satan used in tempting Eve, he still makes use of by other serpents than he then inspired. He suggests the superior wisdom that will be acquired by em- bracing this or that dogma ; and the gratification that will be
h Ps. xlv. 10, 11. ' ver. 13—15.