arrayed like all the soldiers of his army, is repre- sented by the same prophet as habited in this man- ner ; " Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins*."
The use of the girdle was to keep the armour com- pact, and to strengthen the loins. And these are the offices which "truth" performs for the Christian soldier.
In the first place, it compacts all the graces with which his soul is armed. As the different parts of armour with which the body is fortified, would hang loose, and leave many apertures through which a wound might be inflicted, if they were not fastened together by a belt or girdle, so would the Christian's graces prove insufficient for his defence, if they were not all compacted together by the girdle of sincerity. Let us look at persons that seemed armed from head to foot, and prepared to defy all the powers of darkness. See Johanan, and the remnant of the Jews whom the Chaldeans had not taken into cap- tivity, coming to the prophet, entreating him to ask counsel for them from God ; and vowing in the most solemn manner to comply with any direction which the Lord should give them by his mouth. We have not a more hopeful appearance in all the sacred records. But they dissembled with God : no sooner was the answer given them, than they shewed by their conduct, that they were not sincere in their overtures; and they speedily became the victims of their own hypocrisy6. And how often are similar failures found amongst ourselves, from the very same cause ! How many appear penitent and determined to serve their God, while they are under some heavy calamity, or in the near prospect of death ; and yet discover their hypocrisy, as soon as ever their professions are brought to the test ! Yet daily is that account of the Jews realized amongst ourselves ; " When he slew them, then they sought him, and inquired early after God, and remembered that God was their
d Isai. xi. 5. e Jer. xlii. 1—6, 19—22.