s
him to be the father of lies,[3] and the constant apostolic warning is
against his falsehood and deceit. He secures the active allegiance of
men by "blinding the minds of them which believe not";[4] he is able to
lead astray God's people by being "transformed into an angel of
light,"[5] and through his wiles and lying wonders he seeks "to seduce,
if it were possible, even the elect."[6] So we are taught to watch and
pray "lest the devil find room to deceive, who never sleeps, but goes
about seeking whom he may devour."[7]

{29}

Nevertheless there is great consolation in the fact that his chief
weapon is deceit. By using it he bears his testimony that, though we
be far gone from righteousness, yet, should we be permitted to see
clearly, truth rather than error would appeal to us.

No man chooses evil for evil's sake.[8] Before he makes such a choice
he is deceived into thinking either that the thing is good, or that
under the particular circumstances it is right for him to make what,
under other conditions, would be a sinful choice. Thus, much of the
sin we commit comes from making ourselves an exception to rules which
we ourselves acknowledge, and it has been said that such action is of
the very essence of immorality.

One of Satan's favourite deceptions is practised upon us in regard to
himself. It has been well said that Satan's master-stroke in these
latter times is his policy of persuading men that he himself has no
existence. If an army disbelieves in the existence of an enemy, no
guard will be kept, and it will be easily surprised and overcome.[9]
{30} So we may be sure that those who deny the personality of Satan
will sooner or later be his captives. Knowing this he operates as
hiddenly as possible.

How different is his plan of warfare from what it was two thousand
years ago. Men believed in him then, and he fought them in the open.
Now they question his existence, and he goes softly lest they should
discover their error through his too manifest activity. In our Lord's
time, for example, demoniacal manifestation was common; it is rarely
heard of now. Satan does not care to be too much in evidence. He
encourages us to think lightly of him that we may all the more surely
fall into his snares.

Here we see the evidence of his absolute devotion to his cause. Wiser
in his generation than the children of light,[10] he is willing to be
effaced if thereby the glory of the kingdom of hell can be e