He is greater also to uphold, than Satan is to cast down. — The efforts which Satan made to intimidate the Apostle Paul were such as appeared sufficient to daunt the strongest mind : but observe how God enabled his servant to triumph in every assault: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed: we are perplexed, but not in despair ; persecuted, but not for- saken ; cast down, but not destroyed ; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."
He is greater too to save, than Satan is to destroy. — Satan would have " sifted Peter as wheat :" but God would " not suffer his faith to failk." In the Epistle to the Church of Smyrna, it is said, " Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried : and ye shall have tribulation ten days1." Mark how Satan is here restrained. If he could have had his own will, he would have cast, not "some," but all ; not " into prison" but into hell; not for " ten days," but for ever. No " tribulation " short of that would satisfy his ma- lignant mind. But "whereinsoever he, or his emissaries, deal proudly, our God is above them :" and the very means which he uses for our destruction will God make use of for the pro- moting and effecting of our salvation.]
k Luke xxii. 81, -'32. ' Rev. ii. 10.
Two questions, we may suppose, you will be ready to ask :
1. How shall I know by which spirit I am moved?
[This question is easily answered from the preceding con- text. We are bidden to " try the spirits, whether they be of God." And this shews the propriety of suggesting the question before us. We have also the answer given : " Hereby know ye the Spirit of God : every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God : and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of Godm." Here, then, is a plain test, by which the matter may be tried. Whoever, or whatever, would keep you from a total surrender of your souls to Christ, is from the devil : and what- ever would lead you to it, is from God. All the false prophets before spoken of are antichrists : for " there are many anti- christs11:" and whatever be the particular line they adopt, their object is the same ; namely, to keep you from glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. But whatever means our God is pleased to use, his object is, that Christ should be glorified in us. This is the matter contested between God and Satan ; as St. Paul also explicitly declares : " The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto us. But God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge oj the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ0.,, This exactly accords with the testimony of St. John, and completely answers the question that has been proposed. Know then, that if infi- delity would pervert you, or despondency discourage you, or self-righteousness deceive you, they have " the mark of the beast upon them, as clear and visible as the sun at noon-day. The object of them all is, to keep you from Christ. But, whatever leads you to Christ, to believe in him, and serve him, and glorify him, you need no other evidence of its being from God. Reject therefore, with abhorrence, every anti- christian spirit: and receive with gratitude every motion which bears upon it the character and impress of your hea- venly Father.]
2. How may I secure the final victory ?