2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. The justice of God in suffering us to be tempted is vindicated from the following considerations — that we are here in a state of disorder; that He has promised not to suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, and not only so, but to him that overcometh He will give a crown of life. As to the first question, what time of life? I answer, we must expect to be tempted by him, in some degree or other, all our lives long. Second, point out some of those devices which Satan generally makes use of at our first conversion, in order to get an advantage over us. 1. First device I shall mention, which Satan makes use of, is to drive us to despair. 2. A second device that Satan generally makes use of to get an advantage over young converts is to tempt them to presume or to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. 3. A third device I shall mention which Satan generally makes use of, "to get an advantage over us," is, to tempt us to uneasiness and to have hard thoughts of God, when we are dead and barren in prayer. 4. Fourth device I am going to mention — his troubling you with blasphemous, profane, unbelieving thoughts, and sometimes to such a degree that they are as tormenting as the rack. 5. Fifth I shall mention, which is not the least, tempting us by our carnal friends and relations. 6. Sixth device, which is as dangerous as any of the former, by not tempting us at all, or, rather, by withdrawing himself for a while in order to come upon us at an hour when we think not of it. (G. Whitfield, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.WEB: that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes. |
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