There are several sorts of girdles spoken of in Scripture. The Jews, in general, wore girdles. Soldiers wore belts for their swords; (Nehemiah 4:18) and the priests had their girdles also. (Exodus 20:4-8) The holy Scriptures, by a beautiful allusion to this strengthener of a man's loins by the girdle, conveys to the church a most lively and striking idea of God's strengthening himself in his faithfulness to his people. "Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." (Isaiah 11:5) The meaning is, that as the labourer goeth forth in the morning of the day to his labour, and strengthens himself for the work by bracing up his loins with his girdle; so the Lord, speaking after the manner of men, takes his righteousness for the girdle of his administration, which cleaves to him as the girdle to the loins of a man; and his faithfulness becomes the bandage of his word and truth to all his covenant promises, as the rectitude of his reins. And to carry on the figureAs the Lord is thus clad with both, and they surround him like a girdle, so his people are called upon to take hold of both, or either, as occasion requires, whether before or behind, and hang upon the gracious assurances of a gracious faithful covenant God in Christ. "Wherefore (saith one of the apostles,) gird up the loins of your mind; be sober, and hope to the end; for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13)