I would now invite your attention to a subject of deep importance,
yet of great and awful mysteriousness; I mean, the agency of Satan in our
temptations to sin. —he is ever tempting the children of Adam to sin, and
following up, as far as permitted, his first success in the garden of Eden.
In what manner Satan tempts men to sin is a deep mystery.
That in some way he has access to the human mind is clear, else how could he
tempt at all, since he does not appear personally and solicit to iniquity?
Peter in addressing Ananias said to him, "Why has Satan filled your heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit?" Acts 5:3. Still the mode of his operation is
concealed from us. We are very imperfectly acquainted with the nature of our
own spirits; and how another spirit can act upon us, is a mystery not to be
explained.
The manner in which Satan and his influence are described in the
word of God, and the earnestness with which we are admonished to guard against
him, should excite deep concern and holy vigilance. It would seem that
his power, though of course limited and restrained, is very great; that
his trickery is equal to his power; and that his malignity is
not inferior to either. The very idea that we have to combat with such a foe, a
foe that had the courage to attack the Son of God—a foe the more dangerous for
the cloud of mystery that hangs about him, and conceals his movements from
observation—a foe that actually subdued our first parents, notwithstanding
their perfect innocence and paradisaic situation—a foe whom success has made
bold, and experience sagacious, in ruining souls—a foe that may be near us at
any moment, unseen, and therefore unnoticed, and may be preparing some new kind
of attack, is indeed sufficient to alarm us, far more than it does, and to put
us upon the best means of averting the danger.
With too many professing
Christians, there seems be a careless confidence, and an air of unwarranted
security, which their situation of extreme peril does not justify, and which is
quite opposed to the solemn warnings contained in the word of God.
But more impressive and appalling is the language of Paul, in
another place, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the
power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood—but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Above all taking
the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of
the wicked one." Ephes. 6:10-12, 16. This gives us a view of the subject
of Satanic opposition, which is almost dreadful.
