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temptation, are texts of Scripture. And he will be most likely to come off victorious whose mind is best stored with them. One thing, however, we must carefully remember: the Word of God prevails only so far as it is the sword of the Spirit; and this it is only when wielded by the arm of the Spirit. To His accompanying energy, therefore, we must look for success, and not to any skill, promptness, or ability of our own in adducing passages of Scripture. That accompanying energy is to be sought by prayer; and accordingly the Apostle adds

7. ८८

Praying always." Not only is the panoply incomplete without prayer, but, if that were wanting, all the other parts of the armour, even could we conceive them to be in readiness, would be of no effect; because the Divine assistance would be wanting. But the truth is, no one part of the Christian armour can be in readiness where prayer is neglected Without prayer there can be no real sincerity of heart, no consistent ho-

liness of life, no evangelical spirit, no living faith, no well-grounded hope, no spiritual understanding of the Word of God. The prayerless Christian (if such an incongruity may be supposed) is the defenceless Christian; and in whatever degree he omits or relaxes prayer, in that same degree does he lay aside his defence and expose himself to the assaults of the Enemy. On the contrary, prayer invigorates and keeps in exercise all the Christian graces. It purifies the heart, sanctifies the life, rectifies and regulates the spirit, strengthens faith, brightens hope, and gives to the Word of God its sharp edge, making it the sword of the Spirit in our hands. Had Peter prayed for strength when forewarned of his weakness, he had not shamefully denied his Lord. The arm of the Almighty would have held him up. "Watch and pray," said our Saviour to him and the other disciples in the garden, "that ye enter not into temptation." Had they obeyed this admonition they would not have fallen in the hour of danger. But

they slept when they should have prayed, and therefore they fled when they should have fought. The Redeemer himself brought down from above, by fervent prayer, the assistance which he needed in his conflict. He spake feelingly when he said, "The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak;" for he was compassed about with infirmity. But" when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save him from death, he was heard in that he feared."* There appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."† Doubtless also, much of that long retirement in the Wilderness, before his temptation, was employed in the same holy exercise of prayer in which he afterwards spent whole nights upon the sequestered mountains. Therefore the Adversary could find no vulnerable part in him, because he "prayed always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watched thereunto with all perseverance." Christian soldiers! would you

• Heb. v. 7. + Luke xxii. 43.

share your Captain's victories? imitate his example.

-Thus, my brethren, have I endeavoured to set before you your duty in reference to the spiritual dangers to which you are exposed. "Put on the whole armour of God." It remains only that I add a few remarks

III. On the encouragement afforded you in the discharge of this duty. And blessed be God, though your danger be great and your duty difficult, your encouragement is ample..

1. Satan and his hosts can go no further than they are permitted to do. He could not so much as touch Job till the Almighty gave him leave to do so; and even then both the nature and the extent of the temptation were limited, and he could not go beyond the bounds prescribed to him.*. So likewise when he persuaded Ahab to go up to RamothGilead to battle, both the delusion and the success were subject to the divine controul.+ Did he stand at the right hand of Joshua to resist him? His ac

cusations were silenced as soon as the Advocate of his people interposed.* Though he desired to have all the Apostles that he might sift them as wheat,† he could prevail on Judas alone of the twelve to betray his Master, on Peter alone of the eleven to deny him. Why? because his commission extended no further. And why did he not induce Peter utterly to forsake his Lord as well as thrice to deny him? Because his Lord prayed for him that his faith might not fail. And as God he gave the strength for which as Mediator he prayed. Let this thought, then, comfort you in your temptations, ye faithful followers of Christ; Satan can have no advantage over you beyond the divine permission. Though he is a roaring lion, he is a lion in chains. He that sent his angel to shut the mouths of the lions that they should not hurt Daniel, can impose whatever degree of silence and restraint he pleases on your cruel adversary.

• Zech. iii. 2. + Luke xxii. 31.