attacks, it is but for a season, that he may return afterwards with greater advantage1.]
He is cruel —
[The lion little regards the agonies which he occasions ; nor has Satan any compassion for the souls which he destroys. The savage animal kills to satisfy the calls of nature; but our adversary reaps no benefit from the destruction of men. His exertions serve only to increase his own guilt and misery ; yet is he insatiable in his thirst for our condemnation111.]
He is powerful —
[Feeble is the resistance of a lamb against the voracious lion : still more impotent are men before " the god of this world." Satan has a limited power over the elements them- selves11. The ungodly are altogether subjected to his will0; nor would the saints have the smallest power to resist him, if God should deliver them into his hands p.]
If we believe this representation of Satan's malice, we cannot but desire to know,
II. The means of defeating it —
Our adversary, though great, is not invincible. There is one stronger than he, that can overcome himq ; and God has prescribed means whereby we also may vanquish him :
Moderation —
[An undue attachment to the things of time and sense gives him a great advantage over us. He will not fail to assault us on our weak sider; but a deadness to the world will in some measure disarm him. He prevailed not against our Lord, because he found no irregular affection in him s ; nor could he so easily overcome us if we disregarded earthly things. A contempt of life has been a principal mean whereby the saints and martyrs in all ages have triumphed over him*.]
1 Compare Luke iv. 13. with Luke xxii. 53.
m This is strongly intimated in the word KaTcnriy, " he would swallow us up."
n Job i. 12, 19. He is called " the prince of the power of the air."
0 Eph. ii. 2. 2 Tim. ii. 26.
P Many who have appeared lights in the Church have been swept away by the tail of this great dragon, Rev. xh. 3, 4.
<J Luke xi. 21, 22.
r It was he who instigated Judas to treachery, and Ananias to falsehood ; but he wrought by means of their covetousness, John xiii. 2. Acts v. 3.
s John xiv. 30. t Rev. xii. 1 1 .