"is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God." 1 John iii. 8, 10. Did Judas betray his master? It was because "Satan had entered into him." Luke xxii. 3. Did Peter with oaths deny him, after the most solemn protestations of fidelity? It was because Satan had "desired to have him, that he might sift him as wheat," Luke xxii. 31. and tempted him by over confidence. Did Ananias lie unto the Holy Ghost? It was Satan who i put " that wickedness" into his heart." Acts v. 3. Did Elymas the sorcerer seek to "turn away from the faith," one who was "desirous to hear the word of God?" It was because he "was full of all subtilty and mischief, a child of the Devil." Acts xiii. 8-10. Athough I cannot suppose, that, after this accumulation of authorities, you need any more scripture proofs of the doctrine which I have been maintaining, yet I cannot refrain from calling your attention to one other striking passage, which expressly declares, that the distinction between a christian and unchristian life, is no less than that of being under the dominion of God, or under the dominion of the Devil. When St. Paul was miraculously converted, and our blessed Saviour gave him his commission to go unto the Gentiles, it was for this purpose that he was so sent, "to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." Acts xxvi. 18. I fear I have exhausted your patience, but I was willing to put this point beyond all controversy, because (as I have said more than once,) I do not think that an adequate degree of importance is attached by men in general, and even by some who think seriously about religion, to a truth so plainly revealed, as that of the zeal and active influence of the evil spirit upon the hearts of men, who strives even with the most crafty subtilty, and the most unwearied industry, to draw them away from the service of God, and to make them "workers of iniquity" like himself; a truth, which renders it evident, that we have no choice but between two masters, the one holy and merciful, and desirous that we should be made partakers of his holiness, and experience his mercy; the other, wicked and malicious, and anxious that we should participate in his wickedness, and be involved in his damnation. In my next discourse, I propose, upon the grounds of this argument, to shew you the extreme folly of being undecided between the opposite services of these two masters, and the extreme importance of coming to a right determination, in choosing which of them you will follow, for remember, that to whomsoever "ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin (and therefore of Satan,) unto death, or of obedience (and therefore of God,) unto righteousness," and eternal life. Romans vi. 16. SERMON XVII. HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS. 1 KINGS xviii. 21. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. IN my former discourse on these words, I observed that the choice which is proposed to us in regard to our religious conduct, is very much of the same nature with that which would be offered, if this country were unhappily the scene of a civil war; that, as in the latter case, we should not be allowed to hesitate and waver between rebellion and loyalty, but must of necessity join one party or the other, either those who should support the cause of their lawful king, or those who should be for wresting the extreme importance of coming to a right determination, in choosing which of them you will follow, for remember, that to whomsoever "ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin (and therefore of Satan,) unto death, or of obedience (and therefore of God,) unto righteousness," and eternal life. Romans vi. 16. |