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which man was originally created to enjoy, but which Satan persuaded him to forfeit. They are a little flock, gathered out from the immense community of the adversary's willing bondslaves, and from a king. dom as yet scarcely visible, scattered up and down, and divided, by his craft, into many portions. Of course, the usurper's object is two-fold: first, to strengthen his authority within his own domain, so as to place every obstacle in the way of the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom, by the accession of souls delivered from his thraldom, and next to weaken the little band of his successful opponents; to lure them back, if it may be, into his chains; if not, to harass, to persecute, to destroy them from off the face of the earth. To accomplish these ends, to break down the prescribed limits of his range, he wields every means within his reach; his personal power and subtlety, the legions of fallen angels who acknowledge him as their chief, and the people of this world, "the children of disobedience," in whom he works, and in whom his works shows itself in an envious hatred of all that is good. If to dishonour God be, as we know it is, the end of Satan's designs; and if to make man the instrument of so dishonouring his Creator, be, as we know it is, his delight; how great must be his triumph, when he can involve the redeemed people of the Lord in such guilt, and turn, as it were, his prison bars into weapons of offence against his righteous captor. True, it may not again enclose the souls of the ransomed in his deadly grasp; but knowing the words of the Lord Jesus to his disciples, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye

bear much fruit." John xv. 8. He strives to nip the tender blossoms, and to soil, if he cannot shake off, the half-ripened clusters of the true living branches. He contrives to mingle other motives with those which the Holy Spirit dictates; and if he cannot cause them to predominate, so that they who have begun in the spirit, and run well for awhile, are gradually drawn aside to follow the flesh, still he often weakens their hands by presenting to them, in a strong and alarming light, their defiled and imperfect service, and persuading them that God has forsaken them. This he did of old through his servants the false prophets, as the Lord speaks, "With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad." Ezek. xiii. 22. As he quoted Scripture to tempt the Lord Jesus, so he will do to harass his disciples. Has not the servant of God often found himself assailed in the act of teaching, exhorting, admonishing, whether with the lip or the pen, by some such passage as that, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth ?" Psalm 1. 16, coupled with the recollection of past sins, which are washed away by the blood of the Lamb, or the sense of present infirmity, which he knows he may carry to the throne of grace, where grace is promised, and help for every time of need, by him who hath made reconciliation for the sins of the people; and "for in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." Heb. ii. 18.

And he will, he does succour them. He has said, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you :" and has

thereto added, “draw nigh to

God, and he will draw
Satan has great power,

nigh to you." James iv. 7, 8. and he will stretch it to the uttermost in this branch of his work, tempting, harassing, discouraging, misleading the Lord's people: but there is a distinct promise given, that exhibits in a most cheering light the ever watchful care of the Most High over his poor children. "There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suf fer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also, make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor. x. 13. Paul was not exempt from these fiery trials: we find him continually alluding to them in his epistles, and not unfrequently naming the source whence he knew that all proceeded. In authorizing the Corinthian Church to forgive and comfort the offending, but now penitent brethren, who had, by his command, been delivered over for a time to Satan for needful correction, he assigns as a reason for thus again receiving him, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices." 2 Cor. ii. 11. And in view of the dangers to which those devices constantly exposed them, he afterwards says, "I fear lest, by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ:" then he goes on to explain that it is by means of evil teachers the enemy is most likely to assail their faith, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ and no marvel; for Satan

himself is transformed into an angel of light; therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." 2 Cor. xi. 3, 13-15. Then, being constrained by the injustice done to his character by these lying preachers, the apostle draws a picture of his sufferings, and the revelations vouchsafed to him, ending with the chastening dispensation, the "thorn in the flesh," with which Satan was permitted to afflict him permanently. The whole epistle to the Galatians, as it turns on the subject, of mischief wrought by these "false apostles," is an exposure of Satan's wiles, and a testimony of the grief and anxiety wherewith he perpetually disturbed the zealous Paul. In the beautiful epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle confirms all the doctrinal and practical instruction of the first five chapters, by that emphatic exhortation which cannot be too often recited. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness (or wicked spirits) in high (or heavenly) places." Eph. vi. 10-12. He had comforted the Romans with the assurance that "neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers,"—and none but evil ones could attempt it,-"should be able to separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus;" Rom. viii. 38, 39; thus always bearing in mind the limit of Satanic

power. To the Colossians he speaks with joy of having been delivered "from the power of darkness;" Col. i. 13; and with holy exultation of the work of Christ, in that "having spoiled principalities, and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it;" (ii. 15,) and warns them of the devices that may be practised to beguile them into the worshiping of angels, and other unchristian practices. He tells the Thessalonians, "We would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us;" (1 Thess. ii. 18;) thus proving that even in designing a journey, the enemy met and thwarted him and in the second epistle he sets forth, (chap. ii,) the particulars of that fearful apostasy from the faith which has been well described as "Satan's masterpiece," the rise, progress, and final destruction of the Papal Antichrist. The same apostasy is again foretold to Timothy. 1. Tim. iv. 1-3. The apostle also laments that Satan has already drawn some women aside after him, through idleness and tattling, chap. v. 13-15, and urges Timothy to seek the recovery of such as still remain in the snare of the devil, 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26, and after recapitulating the evil wrought against him by those whom the enemy had stirred up, among professed followers, he concludes with a triumphant assurance of his approaching, final victory and rest. The more we refer to those early days of the Christian dispensation, the better shall we be armed against what now is, and prepared for what is to come. It is indeed impossible exactly to measure the full ex

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