by reason of their sinfulness, as they were once superior to it. They became disaffected to the Majesty of Heaven; made war upon his throne; and were driven from the regions of light, to the outer darkness prepared for them. Of this revolt there was a memorable leader, who still possesses a kind of sovereignty; one whose countenance, as the morning star that guides The legions of apostate spirits who obeyed his voice during the war in heaven, obey him still. He is their prince, and to his throne they have transferred the allegiance due to the Creator. By the agency of this great adversary, the fall of man was accomplished; and throughout the scriptures he is described as pursuing men with malignant hate, because the workmanship of God, and as ever hating them the more, the more they partake of a resemblance to their Maker. The manner in which this always active enemy of God, and of our race, is spoken of, demonstrates his personality. To question this is to destroy all the certainties of language, and not only to deprive the sacred writers of the commanding endowments which we expect should distinguish inspired men, but to deny them the lowest attributes of common sense. This being, variously described as Apollyon, the Devil, and Satan, is said to be continually about our path, watching, and laying snares, that we may become entangled with evil, and fall, and perish. Thus did he compass the way of Job, that he might perplex it; thus did he watch the heart of Peter, and wound it; thus did he beset the heart of Judas, and entered into it; and thus, as the prince of the power of the air, he works in the children of disobedience. Hence the many exhortations in scripture to watchfulness and prayer, that we may not become enthralled by the devices of this enemy through ignorance of them. The senses, the passions, the imagination, the intellect, all are avenues of approach in the warfare which he maintains against us. And fearful is the amount of success which every where follows from the exercise of his subtlety and power. He has made the history of the world to resemble the prophet's scroll, written within and without, mourning, lamentation, and woe. And after all, how little do we see, or know, of what is really done, and endured; and how incapable are we of judging as to the effect of all this present evil, in relation to the future, the scenes of eternity! It may be objected to this doctrine, that, if we admit it to be true, we must suppose that a fallen creature may possess the attribute of omnipresence. But there is no such difficulty in what the scriptures inculcate on this point, when properly considered. It is true we speak of the temptations which are diffused over the earth as proceeding from Satan, and of the desolations thus wrought as resulting from his immediate influence. This we do, We however, not because he is the only tempter, but because he is the chief of the vast confederacy thus occupied. Thus we describe the conquests of Alexander as his,—as though effected by his arm alone. We do the same in the case of Cæsar, and others. Our meaning, however, is obvious. We only intend to say, that such victories were obtained by the powerful armies under the command of the persons so named. It is the same here. believe temptation to be the work, not of Satan only, but, in the language of scripture, of the devil and his angels;- and with respect to the multitude of these angels we have no means of judging. They may be, and probably are, far more numerous than the human race. And when the Redeemer is described as triumphing over them in the character of principalities and powers, this language suggests, that what we call Satan's kingdom, is a league, or compact of guilty natures, including all the gradations, the forms, and the usual machinery of an extensive empire. Nor is it a sound objection to this doctrine, that it supposes beings possessed of extraordinary intelligence to be engaged in a protracted warfare, which, in the nature of things, must end in defeat, and signal destruction. It is not in a world where we so often see the greatest intellectual superiority connected with the madness of atheism, that such an objection should be deemed formidable. The case with which the misguided passions can unhinge the noblest capacities, or render them worse than useless, is ever before us. The extent to which this process of spiritual intoxication may have proceeded in the case of Satan and his myriads we cannot know; nor do we know how many sources of delusion, which belong not to our state of being, have contributed to the present infatuation of these powers of darkness. Thus much is certain, they have drank of the enchanted cup so as to put falsehood in the place of truth, and to go on in sinning, though they tremble as they do it. They cannot be ignorant that the revelations of heaven bid them anticipate a most disastrous overthrow. They must know that this event is expected with the utmost confidence and joy by all the hosts of heaven, and by all the devout on earth. But there would seem to be in them, as in the depraved among ourselves, a much-loved and ever-active infidelity, with regard to such predictions, exposing them to strong delusion, so that they not only believe a lie, but glory in doing so, viewing it as the indication of their wisdom, their independence, and their prowess! Insensate hope, conceiving from despair. But It has sometimes been said, that the doctrine of Satanic agency destroys our responsibility. this objection is so feeble as scarcely to deserve an answer. It is plain, from the scriptures, that we are no more obliged to be the captives of Satan, than to be the captives of our own sinful propensities. In either case, allurement, or assault, may come from without, but to yield must be our own act. After all that metaphysicians may teach on this subject, it will be found that our bondage is not a matter of necessity, but of choice. And it must be remembered in conclusion, that the doctrine which respects the being and influence of Satan, is altogether a doctrine of revelation. Nature, indeed, has nothing opposed to it,-rather the contrary; but it could never have been learnt from nature. It is true, the faith of pagan nations has always had respect to certain evil powers, described as interfering in the affairs of men. we know that those nations were long since apprized of the controversy between the seed of the serpent and of the woman;—a circumstance, sufficient to explain the intimations of this nature which occur in their history. But From the facts thus briefly noticed, Christians may discern something of that serious import which attaches to their calling. They have not only to wrestle with flesh and blood,-no mean opponents,but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places:-against the multitude, the strength, and the discipline of the hosts which bow to Apollyon as their leader. Hell from beneath, is moved to prevent their advance toward the mansions prepared for them. Every weapon that may wound or destroy is in use against them, and for that purpose. Their understanding, their heart, their fleshly appetites,-all have a tendency F |