*> Josh. iii. 1, 2. » 1 Chron. xxi. 1.
particular necessity for watching against him with all possible care. Whatever there be, either in our minds or bodies, that seems to favour his temptations, it is only with our own con- currence that he can effect any thing : against our will he can do nothing. " If we resist him, he is constrained to flee from us." But the difficulty is, to know when, and where, and how he will assault us. Could the bird certainly know that the fowler was laying a snare for him, he would take care not to run into the net; and could the fish be fully aware of the hook, he would never be induced to swallow the bait. Thus, if we knew beforehand what the devices were whereby Satan was studying to deceive us, we should stand on our guard against him. But it requires a very deep knowledge of " his wiles," and a constant watchfulness over every motion of our hearts, to resist him with effect.] 2. In our collective capacity —
[Whole Churches are often grievously distracted by this powerful adversary. Where Chi'ist is sowing wheat, he will be active in sowing tares. It was thus at Corinth : he had prevailed to a great extent, first in setting the people against all discipline, and then in urging them to carry their discipline beyond all reasonable bounds. The latter device would have been attended with incalculable evil, if it had not been exposed and counteracted by Paul: the offender himself might have been driven to despair, and constrained to go back for happiness to the ungodly world. The weak in the Church would have been greatly discouraged : and unbelievers would have been led to think of Christianity as the most odious system that had ever been professed in the world. In like manner, there are in every Church some circumstances which Satan would over-rule for the dishonour of God and the injury of immortal souls. Against these therefore, whatever they may be, both minister and people should be much upon their guard. In matters of doctrine, our subtle adversary may easily lead us astray; and in matters of discipline, he may easily succeed in stirring up contentions and divisions amongst us. If we neglect to purge out the old leaven, the whole lump will soon be leavened : and if with too indiscriminate a hand we attempt to pluck up the tares, we may root up also much of the wheat along with it. We are in danger on every side: and if we do not, with the utmost possible care, guard against his devices, he will, in some way or other, " get advan- tage of us," to the weakening of our hands, and the great dis- couragement of our hearts.]
As an IMPROVEMENT of the subject, we will briefly shew how most effectually to counteract his de- vices—