after the sop at supper-time. Then, says St. John, "Satan entered into him 1." We are apt to set aside this as if it were a solitary and extraordinary case, almost, some would think, like a demoniacal possession, on account of the strength and intensity of the Scriptural words. But Holy Scripture evidently does not at all intend this; the occasion and the wickedness were, indeed, extraordinary, but the agency of an evil spirit in it was not at all so; it is only the Scriptural mode of explaining to us in what way wickedness is occasioned: for at the same time our LORD makes this same allusion with respect to the Apostles, in a most earnest and pathetic manner : The LORD said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you" (i. e. all you, My disciples), "that he may sift you as wheat"."

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In one case, therefore, our Blessed LORD watched and saw the progress and success of the evil one; with respect to the others HE saw his eager desire and endeavour; He had marked it strongly by a word long before, when St. Peter would have deprecated His Cross of sufferings; HE saw the tempter in him, and said, "Get thee behind ME, Satan," calling their notice to it. Yet these were but cases such as we ourselves may see going on around us; but in one instance we might look upon it as a person giving way to temptation, and at length overcome by it; in the other, we should only call it at last natural infirmity, on an occasion of great trial; in the former occasion have considered it but an instance of St. Peter's love for his Master. Now I have mentioned these things, because I think it desirable always to inquire into what is exactly the language of Holy Scripture itself upon every subject; and then, when we have ascertained what are the expressions of the Divine word, not in any way to explain them away, but to endeavour, as far as we can, to understand them literally and fully; not to suppose that they may mean something rather different from the words, but rather to fear lest we should fail of some truth conveyed in the very letter, which it is important for us to know; to gather up even the crumbs, as it were, under the Divine table, and take care of the very fragments and broken pieces of the sacred Word, so that nothing be lost.

Now we have seen that it is not merely from evil, but from the

1 John xiii. 27.

2 Luke xxii. 31.

evil one that we pray to be delivered: and we have seen throughout the Scriptures that it is not only from the evil of sin, and from the evil of punishment that we are set on our guard; not only against sin and disobedience that we have to pray, but against a real, personal, spiritual enemy, whose sole work and object it is to bring upon us destruction of body and soul, and failing of that, every other evil. Our Blessed LORD saw him visibly at work with this object: and perhaps even in some degree His Apostles afterwards had spiritual eyes to behold him, in the wickedness of men, and the temptations to which they are liable.

Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the HOLY GHOST?” said St. Peter to Ananias 3. And St. Paul, when he commanded the Corinthians to comfort the incestuous man on his repentance, adds, "Lest such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow ;" and "Satan," he says, "should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices *."

If it be said, Is it not enough to watch and pray against sin and temptation, without thinking also and realizing to ourselves the wicked one and the tempter, it must be answered, that Holy Scripture does not inculcate any thing upon us in this manner, but that it is important for us to consider. We may not know all the reasons for it; but surely we must see that it is a very great and additional reason for watchfulness, and above all, for Prayer. A living enemy is more fearful than any other danger.

There is much wanting among Christians a real apprehension of the evil one, so that one could hardly suppose men could believe in the reality of his existence, much less of his power over themselves, and of their own great danger from him. It would be a fearful thing to awake in the other world and find this to have been the case, while they had never seriously considered it before. Many are led captive by him at his will; are so secured by him in his toils that they cannot get forth, and yet make his very existence and power a subject of levity and profaneness. It is not that they disbelieve, or that they think themselves safe from all Holy Scripture has told us of his power and subtlety; but the reason is that they do not ever seriously consider it. They

3 Acts v. 3.

42 Cor. ii. 11.

harden their hearts against fear: they blind their eyes against their coming ruin.

But to turn away our thoughts from this sad subject of open profaneness, let us consider, each of us, his own condition of danger. Let us always be suspecting ourselves; if any thought should come into our minds of pride or covetousness, of envy and ill-will, or of impurity, it will not be enough merely to reject it, but it must be done with a strong hand and a serious heart, because it most assuredly comes from one who is wily and powerful, and who is more bent on our ruin than we are on our own salvation. We do not know in any way, nor can we conceive, what a spiritual being is; but we do know and understand, that every evil thought is a mark of his nearness and presence.

Let us also suspect things around us which he may make use of-worldly friends, especially, and bad company, and false guides; and what is the same thing under another shape, light books, which make a mock of sin, and newspapers. The devil is in Scripture called "the prince of this world "," by which we are reminded that he prevails generally in the world. We must not form our notions of right and wrong by what goes on in popular assemblies, for the multitude do and speak evil; and things that are written and spoken to please the multitude, must for that very reason partake of much evil.

Above all things, let us constantly and earnestly seek the protection of Almighty God, that He will keep us under the shadow of His wing until this tyranny be overpast. TO HIM alone, to HIM always, to HIM earnestly let us look; to HIM with great fear, lest we should forfeit His shelter; to HIM with still greater love, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, Who is called our SAVIOUR because He would save us from the destroyer.

The great Origen, speaking of this petition, says, "Let us diligently weigh these things and search them out in ourselves, listening unto what God says. The hearts of such only burn not with the fiery darts of the wicked one, who extinguish them with the shield of faith; inasmuch," he says, as they have in themselves a fountain of living water springing up unto everlasting

5 John xii. 31; xiv. 30; xvi. 11.

life. Such," he adds, " allow not the wicked one to have dominion over them, but overwhelm his power with the stream of divine and healthful thoughts, which are formed within the soul of him who through the studies of truth, exercises himself to be spiritually-minded"."

Let us remember that Holy Scripture always reminds us that our condition is not one of peace and security, as we are all too apt to imagine: on the contrary, it is always represented to us as a state of warfare, a contest, a siege, as requiring constant watchfulness against a surprise. Some men on their death-beds have become so deeply conscious of this, that they have been desirous to die rather than to live, in order that they may be safe from this terrible danger of sin;-or rather, to be safe from that indifference respecting their danger, which would again creep over them in the world. Their eyes were opened, and they saw the tracks and foot-marks of their great enemy having been so long unawares about their path.

We must be content to the end to consider it at the very best nothing but a struggle, and attended with great insecurity. Infinitely happy shall we be, if at the last, when our eyes close for ever upon this world, they may open and find, for the first time, the certain consciousness that we are safe,—for ever safe,—and able to say with the Psalmist, Praised be the LORD: Who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped, even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler: the snare is broken, and we are delivered "."

6 Origen on Prayer, 20.

7 Ps. cxxiv. 5, 6.

SERMON XI.

THE DOXOLOGY.

1 CHRON. xxix. 11, 12.

"Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and THOU art exalted as Head above all. Both riches and honour come of THEE, and THOU reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might."

WE often find something in the Old Testament which is afterwards brought out more fully and strongly in the Gospels, and again is found to be more distinctly fulfilled in the kingdom of Heaven. And this is the case even with particular expressions, as with that form of thanksgiving, or doxology, at the end of the LORD's Prayer. We find much the same form in the solemn thanksgiving of David, "before all the congregation" of Israel. "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty." "Thine is the kingdom." Then our Blessed LORD HIMSELF gives it His own divine sanction in the worship of Christians in His own form of Prayer. And afterwards, in the Revelation, we find the same described in the worship of the Saints in Heaven: Blessing, and glory, and power unto Him that sitteth on the throne, for ever and ever'." Again, this may be observed in another circumstance. As we are baptized according to CHRIST'S command, in the Name of the FATHER, and of the Son, and of the HOLY GHOST, SO in this great sacred Prayer of Christians there is a threefold thanksgiving, and yet, as it were, three in one. "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory." But now we shall find the same,

1 Rev. v. 13.