cipalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this a Ro. 8. 38. controversy was with the invisible rence for antiquity; by all the power of selfish, corrupt, and base passions. No empire has been so extended, or has continued so long, as that empire of darkness; and nothing on earth is so difficult to destroy. Yet the apostle says that it was on that kingdom they were to make war. Against that, the kingdom of the Redeemer was to be set up; and that was to be overcome by the spiritual weapons which he specifies. When he speaks of the christian warfare here, he refers to the contest with the powers of this dark kingdom. He regards each and every Christian as a soldier to wage war on it in whatever way he could, and wherever he could attack it. The contest, therefore, was not primarily with men, or with the internal corrupt propensities of the soul; it was with this vast and dark kingdom that had been set up over mankind. I do not regard this passage, therefore, as having a primary reference to ¶ Against the rulers of the darkness the struggle which a Christian mainof this world. The rulers that pre-tains with his own corrupt propensiside over the regions of ignorance ties. It is a warfare on a large scale and sin with which the earth abounds. with the entire kingdom of darkness Comp. Notes on ch. ii. 2. Darkness over the world. Yet in maintaining is an emblem of ignorance, misery, the warfare, the struggle will be with and sin; and no description could be such portions of that kingdom as we more accurate than that of represent- come in contact with, and will actuing these malignant spirits as ruling ally relate (1.) to our own sinful proover a dark world. The earth- pensities—which are a part of the dark, and wretched, and ignorant, kingdom of darkness; (2.) with the and sinful-is just such a dominion evil passions of others their pride, as they would choose, or as they ambition, and spirit of revengewould cause; and the degradation which are also a part of that kingand woe of the heathen world are dom; (3.) with the evil customs, just such as foul and malignant spi- laws, opinions, employments, plearits would delight in. It is a wide sures of the world-which are also and a powerful empire. It has been a part of that dark kingdom; (4.) consolidated by ages. It is sustained with error, superstition, false doc by all the authority of law; by all trine-which are also a part of that the omnipotence of the perverted re-kingdom; and (5.) with the wickedligious principle; by all the reve-ness of the heathen world—the sins powers." 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done 'all, to stand. 1 or, overcome. of benighted nations-also a part of that kingdom. Wherever we come in contact with evil-whether in our own hearts or elsewhere-there we are to make war. ¶ Against spiritual wickedness. Marg. 'or wicked spirits.' Literally, The spiritual things of wickedness;' but the allusion is undoubtedly to evil spirits, and to their influences on earth. In high places. iv rois roupavíos -'in celestial, or heavenly places.' The same phrase occurs in ch. i. 3; ii. 6, where it is translated, in heavenly places. The word (xoupávos) is used of those that dwell in heaven, Matt. xviii. 35. Phil. ii. 10; of those who come from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 48. Phil. iii. 21; of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars. 1 Cor. xv. 40. Then the neuter plural of the word is used to denote the heavens; and then the lower heavens, the sky, the air, represented as the seat of evil spirits. Notes, ch. ii. 2. This is the allusion here. The evil spirits are supposed to occupy the lofty regions of the air, and thence to exert a baleful influence on the affairs of man. What was the origin of this opinion it is not needful here to inquire. No one can prove, however, that it is incorrect. It is against such spirits, and all their malignant influences, that Christians are called to contend. In whatever way their power is put forth-whether in the prevalence of vice and error; of superstition and magic arts; of infidelity, atheism, or antinomianism; of evil customs and laws; of pernicious fashions and opinions, or in the corruptions of our own hearts, we are to make war on all these forms of evil, and never to yield in the conflict. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of right eousness; a Is. 11. 5. 13. In the evil day. The day of temptation; the day when you are violently assaulted. And having done all, to stand. Marg. ‘or overcome. The Greek word means, to work out, effect, or produce; and then to work up, to make an end of, to vanquish. Robinson, Lex. The idea seems to be, that they were to overcome or vanquish all their foes, and thus to stand firm. The whole language here is taken from war; and the idea is, that every foe was to be subdued-no matter how numerous or formidable they might be. Safety and triumph could be looked for only when every enemy was slain. 14. Stand therefore. Resist every attack—as a soldier does in battle. In what way they were to do this, and how they were to be armed, the apostle proceeds to specify; and in doing it, gives a description of the ancient armour of a soldier. ¶ Having your loins girt about. The girdle, or sash, was always with the ancients an important part of their dress, in war as well as in peace. They wore loose, flowing robes; and it became necessary to gird them up when they travelled, or ran, or laboured. The girdle was often highly ornamented, and was the place where they carried their money, their sword, their pipe, their writing instruments, &c. See Notes on Matt. v. 38-41. The 'girdle' seems sometimes to have been a cincture of iron or steel, and designed to keep every part of the armour in its place, and to gird the soldier on every side. The following figure will give an idea of part of the armour of an ancient soldier. With truth. It may not be easy | covering the front and the other the to determine with entire accuracy back. It was made of rings, or in the resemblance between the parts the form of scales, or of plates, so of the armour specified in this de- fastened together that they would scription, and the things with which he flexible, and yet guard the body they are compared, or to determine | from a sword, spear, or arrow. It is precisely why he compared truth to referred to in the Scriptures as a a girdle, and righteousness to a coat of mail (1 Sam. xvii. 5); an breast-plate, rather than why he habergeon (Neh. iv. 16); or as a should have chosen a different order, breast-plate. We are told that Goand compared righteousness to a gir- liath's coat of mail weighed five dle, &c. Perhaps in themselves thousand shekels of brass, or nearly there may have been no special rea- one hundred and sixty pounds. It son for this arrangement, but the was often formed of plates of brass, object may have been merely to spe- laid one upon another, like the scales cify the different parts of the armour of a fish. The cuts on the following of a soldier, and to compare them page will give an idea of this ancient with the weapons which Christians piece of armour. ¶ Of righteouswere to use, though the comparison | ness. Integrity, holiness, purity of life, should be made somewhat at ran- sincerity of piety. The breast-plate dom. In some of the cases, however, | defended the vital parts of the body ; we can see a particular significancy and the idea here may be that inin the comparisons which are made; tegrity of life, and righteousness of and it may not be improper to make character, is as necessary to defend suggestions of that kind as we go us from the assaults of Satan, as the along. The idea here may be, that coat of mail was to preserve the as the girdle was the bracer up, or heart from the arrows of an enemy support of the body, so truth is fitted It was the incorruptible integrity of to brace us up, and to gird us for Job, and, in a higher sense, of the constancy and firmness. The girdle Redeemer himself, that saved them kept all the parts of the armour in from the temptations of the devil. their proper place, and preserved And it is as true now that no one firmness and consistency in the dress; can successfully meet the power of and so truth might serve to give con- temptation unless he is righteous, as sistency and firmness to our conduct. that a soldier could not defend him"Great," says Grotius, "is the laxity self against a foe without such a of falsehood; truth binds the man.' coat of mail. A want of integrity Truth preserves a man from those will leave a man exposed to the aslax views of morals, of duty and of saults of the enemy, just as a man religion, which leave him exposed would be whose coat of mail was to every assault. It makes the soul defective, or some part of which sincere, firm, constant, and always | was wanting. The king of Israel on its guard. A man who has no was smitten by an arrow sent from consistent views of truth, is just the a bow, drawn at a venture, "between man for the adversary successfully the joints of his harness" or the to assail. And having on the breast-plate' (margin), 1 Kings xxii. breast-plate. The word here ren- 34; and many a man who thinks he dered breast-plate' (Supa) denoted has on the christian armour is smitthe cuirass, Lat., lorica, or coat of ten in the same manner. There is mail; i. e. the armour that covered some defect of character; some want the body from the neck to the thighs, of incorruptible integrity; some and consisted of two parts, one point that is unguarded-and that |