faying of our Saviour, in the 18th chapter of St. Matthew, verfe 10th, helps to corroborate this opinion. But our Lord did not speak either of age or fize; but that they were little in faith. They are not called their angels because they are affigned them from their nativity, but because they were especially appointed by God as a guard and protection to them. The whole that is meant is this: that the angels in general, take care of the faithful in general. And as for the notion that every individual has a particular guardian angel affigned them, is a matter for which we have no warrant from fcripture to affirm; and the investigation concerning it is more curious than ufeful. It may be among the means that God ufes in the administration of providence, which watcheth over us every moment of our lives; and to the righteous affords particular deliverances and miraculous escapes, when to human understanding, death feems inevitable: the 3d chapter of Daniel is an inftance of this, and a manifeft proof of the goodness of God, who fent an angel, or, as fome think, our Saviour, armed with divine power, to preferve three righteous perfons from the envy and malice of their enemies; and the fire deftroying those who took them up, is a fignal mark of God's anger upon fuch as execute wicked com

mands,

mands, who, though the moft mighty men in the army, yet had no might to escape the flame at the mouth of the furnace, when the other escaped in the midst of it. And the aftonishing prefervation of Daniel in the Lion's den, is another comfortable proof of God's care and love for those who faithfully worship and obey him: for the Pfalmift fays, the angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Let thofe illuftrious examples ftir us up to a stedfast perfeverance in religion, which will certainly render us objects of God's protection and providence here, and worthy candidates for happiness hereafter. When impending dangers threaten and terrify, or when the envy and malice of the wicked purfue us closely, yet our mighty deliverer, who is an eye witnefs, and knows the intents of the heart, is always able and willing to rescue us; or to enable us to endure that talk of trials and temptations which he thinks fit to lay upon us: and hereafter to reward our perfeverance and conftancy with a brighter crown of glory. Laftly, let the information we receive from the fcriptures concerning good angels, and every inftance of the prefervation of God by their means, make us more and more zealous in his fervice, until we shall have

filled up the whole measure of Christian duties, and God fhall think fit to tranflate us from this world to a better.

T1

CHAPTER VIII.

Of wicked Angels, or Devils.

HE doctrine concerning evil angels, or devils, feems neceffary to be understood for this reafon, viz. their malice and hatred against God, Chrift, and the church, being known; and their artifice, power, and diligence in befieging us, we may become anxious to guard against their snares and temptations; and be difciplined in thofe weapons which are fufficient to refift fuch potent enemies. And this is the end for which it is revealed unto us in the fcriptures concerning these evil fpirits, that the frequent inftances of their artifice and cunning may put us upon our guard against their wiles and folicitations.

Since many teftify, both by their words and actions, that they do not believe that there are foul fpirits, or devils; or, at least, that they are not fo dreadful as commonly described, I will therefore, first, fhew the danger of this error, and how the

reality

}

reality of those evil beings may be proved from scripture and from reafon.

2dly. I will treat of their fin and fall from heaven.

3 dly. I will fhew their power and influence over mankind.

4thly. Their manner of tempting and feducing.

First, then, I am to fhew the error of those who do not believe there are fuch beings as devils: and this was not only an error of the Sadducees, who faid there was neither refurrection, angel, nor fpirit; but at this time many are found who think that nothing more is meant by the devils than our own lufts and paffions, and the depraved thoughts of the heart; and are unwilling to believe that there are any greater enemies to human nature than the malignant difpofitions of wicked men. In this error they continue until they experience the malice of these fallen angels, and are convinced that they have been too much under the dominion and influence of the enemies of their falvation. Left these should perish in their impiety, and others should fall into the like error, let them be affured that there are devils; that it may be proved from fcripture, from reason, and from experience: that their number is great, that millions of H

thofe

those wicked spirits, armed with malice and envy, are difperfed throughout the earth, and engage in continual conflict with mortals; and unless we eafily yield to their affaults, make our lives a ftate of perpetual warfare.

They are always near at hand, to take advantage of our follies and unguarded levity; and they abound in cunning and power to tempt, feduce, and betray.

The fcriptures prove their being, in these and many other places: ift epiftle of St. Peter, 2d chapter, 4th verfe, For God fpared not the angels that finned, but caft them down into hell. And in the 6th chapter of St. Jude, The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath referved in chains under darkness until the judgment of the great day. We read in Genesis that the devil difcourfed with our firft parents in the form of a ferpent; that he appeared before Saul in the likeness of the prophet Samuel, at the inftance of the witch of Endor. The devil, by this allufion, affuming the shape of that divine and heavenly man, induced Saul to worship him; which is the end and aim of the evil spirit to all which feek after him.

In the book of Job, he came among the fons of God, and God faid, Whence comest