a Rom. vii. 23. " Gal. v. 17. " Jam. i. 13—1').
d Rom. ix. 17. « Hos. ii. 6, 7: ^ 1 Sam. xxv. 32—34.
s 1 Cor. X. 13. Isai. xli. 10. '' Amos v. 9.
' Matt, xxvi, 41. i' Ps. cxlii. 1 — 7. cxxxviii. 3. and 1. 15.
1317.] THE lord's prayer. 201
But as we cannot hope to be kept from every temp- tation, we should also pray to God for,
II. The assistance of his grace —
Besides our in-dwelling corruptions, we have, in Satan, a great and powerful enemy —
[The words which in diis and some other places are trans- lated, " from evil," might properly he translated, " from the evil one." Satan is represented in Scripture as a most subtle and cruel adversary to man. He is called a serpent for his subtlety, a dragon for his fierceness, and a god for the dominion that he exercises over the children of men.
To withstand him in ovu* own strength is impossible. He has wiles which we cannot discover, and devices which we can- not fathom. If permitted, he could destroy the holiest of men. None are out of his reach. He not only instigated a wicked Judas to betray his Master, and an hypocritical Ananias to lie unto his God, but an intrepid Peter to deny his Lord : and, if our Lord's intercession had not prevailed to secure the faith of this favoured servant, Satan would have " sifted him as wheat," and brought him to everlasting destruction'.]
We should therefore pray to be delivered from him also —
[God will deliver us from him, as well as from temptation. He has provided armour for us, which, if used aright, shall de- fend us against all his fiery darts. The head, the breast, the legs, have their several and appropriate means of protection
Every part is also doubly guarded by the shield of
faith : and a sword of heavenly temper is put into the believer's hands™ ; a sword which Satan is not able to withstand ; a sword by which the Saviour himself prevailed over him", and which, though in the weakest hands, shall vanquish all the powers of hell°. Does any one ask. How shall T get this armour? We answer, Pray to God to give it you. It is by prayer that it is obtained ; by prayer it is put on ; by prayer we are rendered expert in the use of it ; and by prayer our heart is steeled with courage, and our arm confirmed with strength p. The petition that is taught us in the text will answer every end; and urged with frequency and faith, will soon make us more than con- querors. Would we see the whole exemplified? Behold the instance of St. Paul : in him, the assault, defence, and victory, are all exhibited before our eyes. Satan assaulted him with the utmost violence: the Apostle instantly betook himself to prayer ;
' Luke xxii. 31, 32, ™ Eph. vi. 11 — 17.
" Epb. vi. 17. with Matt. iv. G, 7, 10. « Jam. iv. 7. P Eph. vi. 18.