enjoy it at any rate.

the main purpose of their lives to obtain and For this they sell their souls, and if they get the world in exchange, they think they are gainers by the bargain.

As he is the prince of darkness, so do they fall into ignorance, and blindness of heart, and love darkness rather than light, that their deeds may not be reproved. They hate the word of God, as owls and bats hate the day-light; and dispute fiercely for their errors, lest information and conviction should bring them to repent

ance.

As the Devil is a destroyer, so do the children of this world destroy one another. Their wise politics produce war and desolation; their error and delusion of mind stir them up to the persecution of the servants of God: and wherever we see oppression, and cruelty, and persecution, there we see the spirit of the Devil, the father of persecution, who, by violence, will terrify and compel, where he cannot persuade.

As he is a serpent, so his children are a generation of vipers, double-tongued, and deceitful; smooth and flattering on some occasions, but waiting to give a deadly bite when they are offended and provoked. Their way is crooked and uncertain, like the path of a ser

pent.

pent. An honest man, whose path is direct and plain, can never tell what to make of them, because they pretend to be going one way, while they are going another; and they often gain their end by it; as the twistings of the serpent carry him to the point he aims at.

As Lucifer fell from Heaven for rebellion, all his children are impatient under authority; and in this capacity they are called sons of Belial; which means, that they can bear no superior. Patience, and obedience, and submission, are essential to the Christian character. Christ himself is our pattern, who allowed that the power of Pilate, so unjustly exercised, was given him from above, and submitted to his sentence, when he could have struck him dead upon his bench. But resistance is the Devil's doctrine, and the world's practice. The Gospel teaches us, that the things which are highly esteemed among men are an abomination in the sight of God, and here we see it verified; nothing is more detestable to the God of peace, than the sin of rebellion; and nothing is more magnified and applauded by the children of this world; who have set what they call the power of the people, above the power of God Almighty. He ordains government, and kings are his ministers; but the

people

people are told, that they have power to overthrow his ordinance, and judge his vice-ge

rents.

As the Devil is a tempter, his children act under him in that capacity: most wicked men have a strange desire to make all others as wicked as themselves. The world is full of seducers, who tempt men to false principles, and immorality of life. Some get their livelihood by the corruption of other people; and most infidels and heretics are so diligent in spreading their opinions, that if the friends of truth were equally zealous, the world would not be able to stand against them.

As the Devil is the grand accuser, so doth the world delight itself in evil-speaking. Railing and slandering is their great amusement. Evil words are not pointed against evil things. The world delights to asperse those, who are unlike to themselves. There never was a good man, nor ever will be, who was not evil spoken of, and depreciated in the judgment of the public; and the rule is so universal, that our Saviour saith to all Christians, Woe be unto you, when all men speak well of you. False prophets were well spoken of by the people; and there must be something false and spurious,

some

some evil with the appearance of good*, in every popular character that pleases the world.

As the Devil is the father of lies, so all they that are of the Devil are liars, who will never make a scruple of a lie to hurt others, or serve themselves. The whole Heathen religion was one great lie, in opposition to the truth of the Divine law. Much evil is threatened to those who put evil for good, and good for evil; who make the heart of the righteous sad, by predicting evil to them, and by promising happiness and prosperity to the wicked. Thus did they speak of old, who were called false Prophets; and it would be happy for us if there were none of them amongst us: but, whereever they are found, they are the ministers of Satan: and how fair and fine they may speak on some occasions, it is no proof of their goodness; for Satan is sometimes, as it serves his purpose, transformed into an angel of light, and affects an holy and heavenly character; and then he is most a Devil, because he can most deceive.

Καλον κακον αντ' αγαθοιο

HESIOD.

CHAP

CHAPTER II.

OF THE MEANS OF GRACE, AND THE MARKS BY WHICH THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS TO BE KNOWN.

HAVING explained the nature of these two

societies, the Holy Church and the wicked World; we must consider the use of the Church, and the marks by which it is to be known. It is promised, that he who believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. But how shall we have this baptism, unless we have it from those whom God hath appointed to baptize? It. is also promised, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: and how shall we receive the body and blood of Christ, but from the Church, to whom he said, when he instituted the Lord's Supper, Do this in remembrance of me? This being the commemorative

VOL. IV.

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