These blasphemous thoughts sometimes put the believer into a hurry and confusion, and through the suddenness and violence of them, greatly distress him. The apostle calls these assaults "the fiery darts of the wicked one,"-darts, because he throws them with all his might against the soul,and fiery, because he would have them to catch hold of, and to inflame its corruptions. and lusts. And they do, if the shield of faith be not ready to stop their force, and to quench their fire. This is a piece of the armour of God prepared for the believer's safety at such times, and the right use of it is this: The Lord having promised to be a shield to them that put their trust in him, and to compass them about with his favour as with a shield, the believer looks up when these fiery darts are flying thick about him, and says "O Lord God of Hosts, who hast promised that thy faithfulness and truth. should be my shield and buckler, now establish thy word unto thy servant. In thee, O my God, do I put my trust; save me in this hour of temptation." Then the battle

becomes the Lord's. He is engaged to put forth his strength to shield thee from the enemy. Thus thou shalt conquer, and shalt happily experience what is written"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

He will flee for a season, but will return again. He has other temptations, and he will try them all to disparage the word of God, and to lessen the believer's confidence in it. Sometimes he will insinuate-how can these things be in what way or by what means can such a promise be fulfilled? If you begin to reason upon the point, he will get you from your strong-hold and conquer you. Beware of his lies, and have always your answer ready" It is written." What God hath said put your trust in, if all the world gainsay it; for he is faithful who hath promised, and all things are possible with him.

If this temptation does not succeed, and he cannot bring you to doubt of the truth of the promises, then he will try you about your right to them. When you are in dark

ness or walking heavily, in sickness or any trouble, and you have been praying for deliverance, but Christ does not presently answer you; then he has a favourable opportunity to suggest-Now you see the promises do not belong to you; Christ will not hear you, and therefore you have been deceiving yourself with a vain notion of faith. This is a common temptation, against which still oppose" It is written." Thy case, be it what it will, has a promise, either of support or deliverance. If thou art not delivered, yet if Christ support thee, so that thy faith and patience fail not, does not this show his infinite goodness to thee? He will have thy faith tried, and he will put it into the fire, not to consume it, but that it may come like gold out of the furnace, purer and brighter. And what if thou art in the fire a great while, thou wilt see more of his tender mercies in keeping thee there, and wilt thereby learn to live in a more simple dependence upon him. Cast not away therefore thy -confidence in the written word. The promises in it stand faster than the strong

mountains. If all the powers in earth and hell should join, they cannot defeat one single tittle of them. When the world and all the works therein shall be burnt up, and the place of them shall be no more found, then the promises shall stand fast as the throne of God, and shall receive their full and perfect accomplishment through the ages of eternity.

These are some of satan's temptations against the young men in Christ, who are strong, because the word of God abideth in them. His design is to weaken their reliance upon its promises. Till he can do this, he despairs of success; and therefore he tries every method, which his wicked cunning and rage can invent. His busy active spirit is night and day plotting against the word of God. See a lively picture of his utter hatred to it in the parable of the sower. While the good sced is sowing, the devil is indefatigable in picking it up. He exercises all his wiles to keep it out of the hearer's hearts, and he prevails with the greater part to reject it, Among those who seemingly re

:

eeive it, he cheats three out of four, so that the word does not take root, nor bear fruit to perfection. Since satan is thus successful, is it not absolutely necessary, reader, that thou shouldest be well acquainted with his devices? And the word abiding in thee, the ingrafted word, will both make thee acquainted with them, and also strong to resist them because then thou wilt be taught by Christ's wisdom and strengthened by his almighty power. As thou growest in the sense of thy want of him, and livest in a closer dependence upon him, thou wilt understand more of his word, and experience more of his power. By which means the enemy's continual attacks, driving thee to Christ for the fulfilling of his promises, will make thee continually safe. Let the roaring lion rage, what hast thou to fear? Let him go about seeking whom he may devour, the Lord is thy shield and thy defence in him is thy trust. Thou hast his promise, that he will preserve thee from all evil, and will make all things, even satan's spite and rage against thee, work together

M