zeal with bitterness, boldness with self-confidence, tenderness with connivance at sin, strictness with morose severity. Lest, upon being made sensible of one extreme, we should run into another. The way to life is a narrow way, both as to doctrine and duty.

Oh! there is need of constant circumspection, in prosperity and in adversity. If riches increase, set not your heart on them. Under trials, beware of murmuring, desponding, or using unlawful means of relief. Watch against sins to which you have been formerly addicted; and be not secure respecting those to which you were never yet tempted.

Pray for divine illumination, and for divine assistance. That you may understand the rule, and faithfully apply it. That conscience may be well informed, very tender and faithful. That God would so regulate outward events, as not to suffer you to be led into temptation, or else to make a way of escape. That he would grant inward support, fortify against temptation, fit for every duty, renew your strength, and enable you to persevere to the end. His grace is all

sufficient.

Come boldly to the throne of grace for seasonable assistance. Pray for all might in the inner man, that you may both do and suffer his will.

FIFTHLY Wherefore should we regard this charge?

For our own sakes; as without it we may soon be involved in great distress and danger. They who habitually disregard it, can have no certainty of their sincerity or safety. And if they could, would any wise man disregard the breaking of his bones, if his life were insured for a given period? You will, at least, soon lose the joys of God's salvation; and are they of small value? You may fall farther and farther; God only knows where you will stop; and if it be short of endless ruin, do you care for nothing but that?

For the sake of others; lest you grieve your brethren, and stumble enquirers; lest you confirm the prejudices of the irreligious, and give an handle to enemies to reproach. Be concerned rather to constrain them to say, "We will go. with you, for we see that God is with you of a truth."

Watch especially for Christ's sake; from a regard to his

authority, who has given you this charge, and evidently treats it as your duty. From a concern for his honor, which is closely connected with your attention to this duty. How often has he been wounded in the house of his friends! Will you also crucify him afresh? From a regard to your enjoyment of him, which cannot be expected but in the way of obedience. From a dread of his chastisements.

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." From a regard to his approbation. "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth clean his garments." Rev. xvi. 15. Matt. xxiv. 46. Let his wonderful love Show that nothing is

constrain you to regard this charge.

so dear to you as the honor of your blessed Lord ?

How utterly inconsistent is this language with the pernicious notion, that believers are in no sense under the law! Where there is no law, there is no transgression. But if there be no duty and no sin; or if nothing more is duty, than that to which you are effectually inclined; what call can there be to watch and pray?

LXII.

SATAN THE ENEMY OF SOULS.

LUKE ix. 42.

And as he was yet coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

We shall not now enter into the controversy which has been raised respecting the demoniacs, so often mentioned in the Gospels. To me, it appears evident, that they were not mere lunatics, from whom they were expressly distinguished; (Matt. iv. 24.) though, in some instances, the two evils might be combined in the same person, as they appear to have been in the case now under consideration. Matt. xvii. 15.

But great violence must be done to scripture, if we exclude all agency of evil spirits in the infliction of those tortures on the body, which were so frequent in the days of our Lord; and which seem to have been permitted, to give him the

opportunity of displaying more abundantly his power and grace, in delivering so many of these miserable sufferers; and thus showing himself to be Him that was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.

And as most of his miracles of healing, performed on the bodies of men, served to illustrate the still more important operations of his grace on the soul; so these, in particular, were well adapted to that end.

On which account, I shall not scruple employing the words of our text, to remind us of several important truths; which may warn us against Satan's devices, and direct and encourage us in our application to Christ for relief.

FIRST: Satan is a cruel enemy to mankind, who, by all the methods he is permitted to use, labors to oppose their

welfare.

He is

He would readily injure both body and soul. Angels are said to excel in strength; and fallen angels have still greater natural powers, though employed for bad purposes. God can limit the powers of darkness, or none knows the mischief they might do us, by various ways. Satan shows his malevolent disposition towards old and young. He is peculiarly gratified, when he can ensnare betimes. the real enemy, of both sinners and saints. He has no affection to his own servants, and no respect for the children of God. He seeks our ruin in a variety of ways: by possessing the soul, enslaving it to the tyranny of sin, or defiling it with moral impurity. Into what filthy practices does he draw some! With what vile affections does he pollute others! Sometimes he stupifies the soul; sometimes distracts it; throws it into violent and opposite extremes; disturbs the natural order of the faculties; draws the soul into voluntary banishment from God; reducing it to a state of wretchedness and misery; rendering it obnoxious to the divine displeasure; and perpetually increasing the load of guilt. His worst cruelties on human bodies, at the period when he had greatest liberty to afflict them; give us but a faint emblem of his greater cruelties to souls. However, in all his mischievous attempts, he is constantly under divine control. 1 Pet. v. 8.

SECONDLY: The Lord Jesus is the great Saviour of them that are oppressed by the devil; and it is their duty and interest to apply to him.

His very name indicates his relation to them, in opposition to him. Satan is the destroyer; but Jesus is the Saviour. Satan destroys souls, by tempting to sin: Jesus saves souls, by turning from sin-at once granting repentance and remission of sins. Jesus has given the strongest evidence of his power and willingness to succor them that are oppressed by the devil. Acts x. 38. For this purpose he was manifested in the flesh, and that in consequence of his own free and unmerited love. Heb. ii. 14. He has done, suffered, and said enough to prove this. Never did he reject any who applied to him. His greatest declarative glory is closely connected with the salvation of miserable sinners. He cannot triumph over Satan, but by rescuing them.

THIRDLY: Satan will naturally be enraged when his captives apply to Christ; and give them all the molestation he can, as they are coming to him.

He dislikes their having any thoughts of the kind. He would keep them from hearing the truth; or, at least, from paying any serious regard to it; or would lead them to abuse it, and to hold it in unrighteousness. If he cannot pervert to presumption, then he will drive to despair.

You your

ought to despair of safety out of Christ; to doubt of interest in him, while unwilling to receive him, or to unite with him in the design of his redemption. It is no sin to doubt your own willingness, if you are unwilling; though it is a sin to be unwilling. But it is a sin to doubt either his ability, or his grace. All who came to him in the days of his flesh, came under a persuasion of his sufficiency and benevolence but very few of them had any previous knowledge of his good will to them in particular. Satan often perplexes souls, by tempting them to look for some other warrant, besides the free invitations of the gospel; to consider as requisite a knowledge of divine decrees, new revelations, or internal qualifications. Sometimes he injects atheistical, infidel, blasphemous thoughts; suspicions of the truth of religion. He stirs up native depravity, vile lusts, violent

passions, pride, envy towards others. He labors to excite hard thoughts of God, and especially tempts to murmur against his sovereignty. He uses various stumbling-blocks; misrepresenting truth; making a handle of the miscarriages of hypocrites and formalists, and of the imperfections of the godly. He excites fears of sin being too great; suggests peculiar aggravations; or alarms with a dread of having committed the unpardonable sin. Do you disapprove of God's method of salvation? Are you determined not to repent or submit? Are you unwilling to be indebted to Christ for pardon? Can you bear the thought of separation from him and his people? If your whole soul cries, No! all shall be well. Satan tempts you to conceal your case, and then to think it singular. Never was any one like you.' He often stirs up carnal friends to oppose and persecute.

Perhaps he may labor to excite wrong tempers in the good people with whom you may be connected. Eli fomed a wrong opinion of Hannah; and so did Job's friends of his Or, Satan may tempt the soul to misconduct; and to neglect one duty, under the idea of attending to another; and then to be much offended with those that may disapprove of this impropriety. God suffers Satan thus

case.

to harass the returning sinner, to make him the more weary of his bondage; to lead him into farther acquaintance with his own heart; and to render divine grace more illustrious in the end.

FOURTHLY Notwithstanding the violence of Satan's opposition, and the temporary increase of distress, every case shall issue well which is really committed to Christ.

We dare not answer for the good issue of every case of such as can talk about religion, as seem for a time very devout, or greatly alarmed, and much concerned about escaping hell; nor of every one who has evangelical notions, various religious affections, or high confidence of safety.

But all who come to Christ, desire him sincerely, earnestly, wholly; are willing to part with all for him; and give themselves up wholly to him; and heartily acquiesce in the way of salvation by him; we dare answer for their reception. They have three great encouragements: The goodness of God