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ed them for several days, crying out, "these men are the servants of the most high God," &c. Thé case is expressly mentioned as a real possession, and the artifice of the evil spirit was, to make the Apostles suspected of acting in confederacy with itself; at length Paul, to prevent the success of this design, commanded it immediately to go out of the young woman-it left her the same hour, and from that time she ceased to utter divinations, which cost the Apostles a severe scourging and confinement in prison.

Nor was the influence of these spirits in corrupting and infatuating the minds of men confined to the heathen. The apostle informs Timothy, that the spirit had expressly uttered that “in the latter times, men should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and the doctrines of devils." And so it turned out-They endeavored to pervert the minds of Christians from the simplicity of the Gospel, by introducing among them the popular doctrine of the heathen, respecting the souls of departed men, who had become a sort of inferior deities, and so entitled to religious worship, in consideration of services they were supposed to perform to the living. And this doctrine obtained such a footing, that to this day it remains in a considerable part of the Christian Church, to the dishonor and offence of the truth, and great danger to the souls of men.

To the same influence is to be ascribed the licentious opinions which have been grafted on the doctrine of grace; and the various superstitious rites and supernumerary doctrines, which have been introduced in addition to the institutions and commands of Christ, by which men have been led to trust to these inventions, rather than the simplicity of divine wisdom.

These are the principal and more important cases of diabolical influence. Others might have been added; such as their power over the elements, in raising storms and other commotions in nature; terrifying the imaginations of men, with frightful images, and driving them to madness; afflicting their bodies with terrible diseases, beyond the power of medicine; and agitating and convulsing them, by immediate and actual possession. The instances of their power in these respects, recorded in the Gospel, furnish us with an alarming view of their capacity and eagerness to make us miserable. In fine, they are exceedingly sagacious and artful; their power is irresistible; their numbers are innumerable; and they probably surround our earth in the confines of the air; so that we live as it were within the lines of these formidable enemies, who but for the mediation of Jesus Christ and his special protection of us, would soon destroy us in the ruins of our habitations, and whelm us in the same abyss of misery

with themselves. Now, the Gospel is our only defence against their power and malice. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil; to counteract his subtlety and power, and rescue the world from his tyrannical usurpation; and this he has done in a remarkable degree.

Whether it be true or not, that all the oracles of the heathen became dumb at his birth, as history has recorded, we cannot determine, but we certainly know, that soon after the preaching of the Gospel, they gradually fell into disrepute and neglect; so that in a century or two there was hardly. one of note to be found in the whole Roman empire, which at that time included the greatest part of Europe, and a large portion both of Africa and Asia. The same fate, in a great measure, attended their incantations, auguries and divinations. As to

witchcraft, which is much the same with the others, though the opinion of its reality has continued much the longest; yet it is so generally discredited in the Christian church, that what opinion does remain of it, is seldom productive of any serious consequence. As to the power of the devil to tempt and seduce men into sin, that still remains, and probably will remain till the consummation of things. But even his influence in this respect is much abated, if we may judge from this circumstance that the more violent and outrageous crimes, which strike at the very root of society.

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are much less frequent than formerly; and gradually abate in all nations, as the pure light of the Gospel spreads and prevails. Here too the provision of the Gospel is our best security. By its truths and precepts it provides against dangerous errors in religious opinions. By its motives, it provides against errors of the heart and conduct; and by the special aids of the Holy Spirit, in enforcing and applying these to the conscience, as well as its secret influence in subduing, in purifying, and regulating the whole man; by this armour of God, we are defended on every side, against the bane and deadly wounds of the empoisoned arrows of the enemy; so that he who takes to himself this armour, shall be able to stand; and through the sharpest and severest conflicts, make his way good, beyond the reach of the power and malice of the wicked one. How excellent then is that grace,

which insures so great a deliverance!

We proceed to the last article to be now mentioned, for the illustration of our subject, and this is,

V. That it is the Gospel alone that has informed us of the general reformation of the world; of the catastrophe of the earth we inhabit; of a general judgment both of men and angels, and the final state of mankind.

That the Gospel has already been preached in almost every part of the world, except the interior parts of Tartary, and perhaps of Africa, in the

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western parts of America, and the lately discovered Islands of the Southern Ocean, is evident from history. And indeed, it seems probable this was nearly done as early as the destruction of Jerusalem. That it shall, at some future time, be preached, and received, in every nation upon earth, may be strongly inferred from the design of it, and seems expressly mentioned in different prophecies of the New Testament. But, that it intimates that there will ever be a time, when every man shall be a true Christian, is not, I think, clear from any passage, nor even very highly probable. Neither is the opinion of the Millenium, or personal reign of Christ upon earth, for a thousand years, as literally understood by many, at all certain, or even supported by arguments of very strong probability. The amount of those words seems to intend no more, than that there will be a time of the extraordinary power of the Gospel. Although there are not wanting arguments in favor of the opinion, that the time mentioned in the revelation, is already past.

If righteousness and truth shall generally prevail, if superstition, persecution, and usurpation, shall cease among Christians-if destructive animosities, and wars, shall give way to universal peace, it will be a time highly glorious, and the kingdom of God will come with great power, the earth shall be filled with gladness. This, we

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