the works of the DEVILY. It concerns us, then, infinitely, to take heed lest, by denying,

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or questioning, or explaining away, the existence and agency of the evil spirit, we subvert the foundation of our faith, detract from the glory of our Saviour's passion, and unthankfully despise the riches of his goodness in 'dying for us: nay, and lest we blaspheme the Holy Ghost; who was given to help our infirmities, to strengthen us with might in the inner man, and therefore to save us from the power of that spirit, which worketh in the children of disobedience.

J

2. In a MORAL view it is, also, of great importance, that we entertain right notions on this subject.

I know that the world and the flesh are powerful enemies enough, and that we need not wish to signalize our courage by a contest with any other.

But if there be another, we are concerned to know what our danger is, and to provide against it. Security is generally fatal; especially when the strength of the enemy is

y St. John iii. 8. a Eph. xiv. 16.

z Rom. viii. 26.
b Eph. xi, 2.

greater than we take it to be. Therefore, let us learn from scripture, what that strength is; and let us use all diligence in resisting (as we have long since engaged to do) not the world and the flesh only, but, also, the DEVIL. This is the advice of the text-Resist the DEVIL. And this, too, is the advice of the Apostle Peter-Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the DEVIL, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devoure. (words, by the way, which put the personality of the tempter out of all question); Whom resist, says he, stedfast in the FAITH; under the protection of which shield, we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of THE WICKEDa.

c 1 Peter v. 8.

dr worng Eph. vi. 16.

By the fear of the Lord, men depart from

evil.

ALL the authority of Solomon's name and wisdom will, I doubt, be no more than sufficient to procure respect to this observation; which some may consider as a trite and vulgar truth, scarce deserving their regard; while others, perhaps, will not so much as allow it to be a truth at all, but indeed a vulgar mistake, arising out of the narrow views of ignorant or superficial declaimers. It may be slighted by one set of men, as conveying no information, and by another, as conveying a wrong one.

Let me attempt then to rescue the sacred text from both these imputations. Permit me to shew you, that the observation, it contains, is neither so generally received, as to make all further discourse about it frivolous and unnecessary; nor yet, on the other hand, of so questionable a nature, as to justify the scorn with which it is sometimes rejected..

I. To those, who are such fastidious hearers of the word, as to disregard an important truth, because repeatedly inforced upon them, I might reply that such truths can never be insisted upon too much, that our duty is to inculcate them, in season, and out of season.

But the fact is mistaken. We are so far from nauseating our hearers, with a too common and superfluous truth, when we remind them perpetually, that, by the fear of God, men depart from evil, that, on the contrary, very many want to be informed, or at least convinced, of it.

What the text affirms, is, that the fear of God, or the RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE, is the proper guide of life. But look now into the world, at large: there the acknowledged rule of life, is FASHION. Look into the civil or political

world: there the boasted rule of life, is THE LAW OF THE MAGISTRATE. Look into the learned world: there too commonly the only rule of life is each man's own, reason, or what he proudly calls PHILOSOPHY.

And will it now be said that the fear of God, is a principle too stale and too unquestioned to be discoursed upon and recommended to you from this place, when we see so large and so considerable a part of the world actuated by one or other of these different and discordant principles? But neither

II. Is the truth, though far enough from being generally received, so slightly grounded as to justify any man in the contempt of it.

*

It is a truth, taught of God, and revered by all wise men. It has nature, and reason, and experience on its side; and is only combated by the folly, the short-sighted policy, or lastly, the pride, of half-thinking and presumptuous

men.

For to give, now, the godless principles, I before mentioned, a short and separate examination.