we are told, that " the Lord opened his armoury, and brought forth the weapons of his indignation2;" so, when he has commissioned us to go forth against sin and Satan, he must supply us with the arms, whereby alone we can execute his will : and we must be daily going to him in prayer, that he would furnish us from head to foot, or rather, that he himself would be " our shield and buckler," our almighty protector and deliverer3.
When we have received our armour, then we are to " put it on." It is not given us to look at, but to use : not to wear for amusement, but to gird on for actual service. We must examine it, to see that it is indeed of celestial temper, and that none is wanting. We must adjust it carefully in all its parts, that it may not be cumbersome and useless in the hour of need : and when we have clothed ourselves with it, then we must put forth our strength, and use it for the purposes for which it is designed.
Our more particular directions must be reserved, till we consider the use of each distinct part of this armour. We shall only add at present, that, if we thus go forth to the combat, we shall surely vanquish our subtle enemy. We say not, that he shall never wound us ; for the most watchful of us are sometimes off our guard ; and the most experienced of us some- times deceived. But we can assure the whole army of Christians, that Satan shall never finally prevail against themb. Their head shall be preserved from error0; their heart, from iniquity*1; their feet, from falling6.
What remains then but that we call on all of you to put on this armour ? Let not any imagine that they can stand without it : for, if Adam was van- quished even in Paradise, how much more shall we be overpowered ? If the perfect armour with which he was clad by nature, proved insufficient for the combat, how shall we stand, who are altogether
z Jer. 1. 25. » Ps. lxxxiv. 11. and xviii. 2.
b Matt. xvi. 18. c Isai. xxxv. 8
(l Rom. vi. 14. ei Sam. ii. 9. 2 Pet. i. 10.