that he brought against man. What
was his course of reasoning in devising it? "I fell through the desire
to be like God," he reflects. "This same temptation will ensnare this
new handiwork of God whom He has made in His own image and likeness."
It was to him unthinkable that any intelligent being should not have
that aspiration, and he approaches our first mother, promising as the
reward of sin, "Ye shall be as gods."[14] His confidence was not
disappointed. The lure attracted, man fell, and sin and death entered
the world.

We note that he again falls back upon his experience in tempting the
second Adam. He hears the Father's voice declare, "Thou art My Beloved
Son,"[15] and immediately he proceeds to test Him. Mark the substance
of his insolent assault. "If thou art the Son of God, prove it,
vindicate your claim. I challenge it. Turn {36} these stones into
bread, and by this miracle show me that you are like God."[16]

This he believed would be the supreme test. His own fall had come
through his ambition; the fall of the human race had its beginning in
the same proud aspiration; and surely, he argued, it would prove
effective against this new opponent of his power as prince of this
world. We know what was the issue of the attempt. No sin could enter
the heart of the Sinless One, and yet He allowed Himself to be thus
tempted that we might find in His example a means of offsetting the
advantage our enemy has in his vast experience with men and their
frailties.

IV. _The Methods of his Might_

Not in a single chapter, nor yet in many chapters, would it be possible
for us to discuss all the forms of the might with which Satan wars
against the servants of God. We must hasten on to the consideration of
some of those that he most commonly employs.

(1) His activity. He never sleeps; he never rests on his arms. What
seem to be pauses in the battle are only intervals he is employing to
study us more carefully, and to plot some more {37} subtle and
ingenious method of attack. Even in moments of defeat he is alert to
recover even the smallest advantage. How often when we have just won
from him some hard-fought battle, and are pausing, as it were, for
breath, our vigilance relaxed ever so little, does he discharge a
Parthian shot of pride in our victory, or of impatience which, if it
does not wound us grievously, at least mars the perfection of the
victory we had secured by God's grace.

(2) His aggr