of the Gospel. And what then? Was it not equally to be expected that what
concerns the essence and counsels and dispensations of God should be a
secret to nature, unassisted by revelation, as that our practical moral
duties should lie open to its view? And, if the force of this question
be not generally felt, there is no doubt, I think, but it will, in a
short time. For, it is to be observed of all these idle cavils, that they
presently vanish one after another; and, when each has had its day, is,
thenceforth, exploded even by unbelievers themselves.
But, ’tis time to come to a conclusion of this matter. The purpose of all
I have said is, only, this, to shew, what weak and idiot prejudices have,
at all times, been taken up against Christianity, and how generally they
have been mistaken by the acutest of its enemies, for reasons of much
weight.
And, if all, who hear me, be led by this experience, to suspect the
infirmity of their own minds; if, having seen the disgraceful issue of so
many fancies, which for a time have passed for shrewd _arguments_, but
have, afterwards, appeared to be nothing more than childish _prejudices_,
they can be brought to mistrust those, that occur to themselves; if, in
a word, they can be induced to question the pertinence and force of what
they too easily consider in the light of objections to Christianity, and
to argue soberly and cautiously at least, if they will needs try their
skill in arguing against it; the end, I have in view, will be answered,
and neither my pains, nor your attention, will be thrown away on this
discourse.
SERMON XLVI.
PREACHED FEBRUARY 4, 1776.
JAMES iv. 7.
—_Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you._
That there are Angels and Spirits, good and bad; that, at the head, of
these last, there is ONE, more considerable and malignant, than the rest,
who in the form, or under the name, of a _Serpent_, was deeply concerned
in the fall of man, and whose _head_, as the prophetic language is, the
Son of man was, one day, to _bruise_; that this evil spirit, though that
prophecy be, in part, completed, has not yet received his death’s wound,
but is still permitted, for ends unsearchable to us, and in ways which
we cannot particularly explain, to have a certain degree of power in this
world, hostile to its virtue and happiness, and sometimes exerted with
too much success; all this is so clear from Scripture, that no believer,
unless he be, first of all, _spoiled by philosophy and vain deceit_, can
possibly entertain a doubt of it.
The subject, indeed, in its full extent, cannot be discussed at this
time, nor conveniently, perhaps, in this place. But it may not be
improper to make some general reflexions upon it; such as may serve to
rectify your APPREHENSIONS of the doctrine itself, which, as I said,
is truly scriptural, and to suggest, at the same time, the MORAL AND
RELIGIOUS USES, we ought to make of it.
1. An opinion prevailed in the East very early, and was probably derived
from some still more ancient tradition of the fall, corrupted, and
misunderstood, that two, equally great and independent beings, a good
and a bad, shared the government of the world between them; that these
beings, of directly opposite characters, carried on a perpetual war with
each other, crossed each other’s designs and operations, and, as either
prevailed, produced the good or evil, the happiness or misery, of this
life.
This opinion was, afterwards, taken up by some, who called themselves
Christians; and was especially applied by those, who loved to
philosophize (as too many did, and, at all times, have been prone to
do) on the secrets of divine Providence, to the solution of that great
question, concerning the _origin of natural and moral evil_.
Now, to this notion some countenance, it is thought, has been given by
the scriptural doctrine of the Devil, who is spoken of, as _the Prince of
this world_[218], as the _Prince of the power of the air_[219], as _the
God of this world_[220], and in other terms of the like sort, denoting as
well the _power_, as malignity, of this evil Being.
But, though these terms are, some of them, very strong, and certainly
imply, not the existence only, but the extensive agency and influence,
of this wicked Spirit, yet there is no pretence or colour for supposing
that any thing like an equality to the God of heaven and earth, or an
independency upon him, was intended to be expressed by them. For it is
manifest, that no writings in the world exalt our ideas of that God so
high, or set forth his supreme irresistible and sovereign dominion in
so strong and decisive terms, as the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
And with regard to the particular evil being under consideration, he
is represented as _trembling_[221] at the very apprehension of the
omnipotent Creator, as sentenced by his justice[222], and reserved
for the execution of it[223]; as exercising a partial, a precarious,
a limited power in this world, working only in the _children of
disobedience_[224], and in them, consequently, no longer than they
continue to deserve that character; and baffled in his attempts, not only
by the Son of God, but by the _resistance_[225], by the _prayers_[226],
by the _faith_[227], of Christians; as a rebel indeed, yet a rebel cast
out[228] and disabled[229], and compelled to be an instrument, like all
other things, in the hands of the Almighty[230].
But nothing shews more clearly, how abhorrent the spirit of Christianity
is from the Manichæan doctrine, than the care that is taken throughout
the Gospel-history to set forth the triumphs of Christ over the kingdom
of Satan, in _casting out devils_; of which the instances are so many,
and so circumstantially described, as if our Lord’s main or sole purpose
had been to expose and explode that great impiety. He not only, himself,
commanded, by a word, the devils to go out of the possessed, who
accordingly obeyed him, and, in departing, deprecated that power[231],
which they knew he had over them; but he, likewise, gave the same
authority to his disciples, who went forth with his commission, and
_returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto
us, through thy name_[232]. On which occasion, _he said unto them_, as
exulting in his dominion over the enemy, and in the rapid, instantaneous,
irresistible effect of it, _I beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from
heaven_[233].
Thus much may suffice to shew, that, though the Gospel affirms the
existence of evil spirits, and of one eminently so, yet that it gives
no countenance to the doctrine of the two principles; as if the evil
one were independent of the good, or that Satan could have the madness
to think of rivalling the power of God, and of entering into a direct
formal contest, as it were, with the Almighty. Whatever of this sort has
been said, or insinuated, contradicts the express testimony, indeed,
the whole tenour, of holy scripture, and is nothing but poetry, or
misrepresentation.
2. Still, on the face of that account, which Scripture itself gives, it
must be owned, that the power of Satan is great and even dreadful.
That he was permitted, in our Saviour’s time, to vex, and, in
various ways, torment the BODIES of men, is clear from the number of
_possessions_, we read of in the Gospel; which though some have laboured
to explain away (as they have, indeed, the personality of the Devil
himself) by reducing what is said of his agency to a mere figure of
speech, yet I do not find that their attempts have, hitherto, been, or
are likely to be, successful.
That he was, also, permitted to lay such trains, and contrive such
measures, as had a fatal effect, sometimes, on the FORTUNES of men, not
of those only, who were the immediate instruments of his malice, but of
good and innocent men, who stood at a distance from him, we see by the
sad catastrophe of that council, which _he put into the heart of Judas
to betray his master_[234]; first, in the untimely death of the traitor
himself, and then, by a series of connected events, in the crucifixion
of the holy Jesus; and by several other instances. And, that he still
retains this last power, as formidable as it truly is, must be concluded,
if it be true, as we shall presently see it is, that he insinuates
himself into the minds of bad men, and is concerned in exciting and
promoting their wicked purposes. But, whether he be allowed to tyrannize
over the bodies of men, is more problematical. That, for any thing we
know, he may operate in the way of _possession_, I do not see on what
certain grounds any man can deny: that he does so, I would not affirm,
because the Scripture, our only guide as to what respects the agency
of spirits, is silent in that matter. But the inquiry is of the less
moment, because, since the gift of _discerning_ spirits hath ceased in
the church, we have no means of distinguishing between _possessions_ and
_natural disorders_; and, because, if we had, there is no known cure, or
antidote, for them.
Had this been considered, all the mischiefs which have arisen from
the trade of witchcraft and diabolism, would have been prevented. For
they have proceeded, not from the supposed possibility of possessions,
but from a fraudulent pretence of knowing when they take place, and
from a superstitious belief of certain charms or spells, which may be
applied, with effect, to the removal of them. Whereas, the fact is
not cognizable by us, the symptoms, whether of the natural disorder,
or of the pretærnatural infliction, being equivocal; and Christianity
acknowledges no power in words, or ceremonies, to exorcise evil spirits.
The only exorcism, which is now permitted to Christians, is that of
faith and repentance, that is, of a good life; which every man may, and
should apply, when it is needful, to his own case, and which, in that
application, can surely do no hurt to himself, or others.
And, with this explanation, I leave the matter of _possessions_. As I
have no authority to affirm, that there _are_, now, any such, so neither
may I presume to say, with confidence, that there are _not_ any.
But, then, with regard to the influence of evil spirits at this day upon
the SOULS of men, I shall take leave to be a great deal more peremptory.
For this influence is so constantly supposed in the Gospel; there are
so many admonitions, cautions, advices, relating to it; there are so
many warnings given us by Christ and his Apostles against the snares,
the wiles, the devices, the depths, of Satan, and these, conveyed in the
form of general precepts, plainly calculated for the use of Christians
in all ages; it is so expressly said, in Christ’s own parable of the
sower, that the _tares_, that is, bad men, _are sown by the devil_, and
that this husbandry will be carried on by him to the end of the world;
it is so apparent, that his empire over bad men is exercised in the way
of temptation and seduction, by putting bad purposes into their minds,
and filling their hearts with corrupt imaginations and intentions;
it is, besides, so evident that we are continually in danger of this
temptation, by that clause in the Lord’s prayer, the daily prayer of all
Christians—_deliver us from the evil one_[235]—for such is the proper
sense of these words, which we translate, _deliver us from evil_—All
this, I say, is so manifest to every one who reads the scriptures, that,
if we respect their authority, the question, concerning the reality of
demonic influence upon the minds of men, is clearly determined.
Nay, there are many instances, in history, and common life, of
prodigious, almost unimaginable wickedness, strangely conceived and
executed, which, if they do not prove this doctrine, in the way of
sensible experience, perfectly fall in, and harmonize with it. It seems,
as if the soul of some men were demoniacal, as the bodies of others
have been. Let me appeal to yourselves. Suppose that a person, duly
commissioned for that purpose, had dislodged as many devils from Nero or
Cæsar Borgia, as our Saviour did from the poor unhappy man of Gadara,
would this exorcism have surprized you more in the former case, than
the latter? or would not this miracle have furnished us with a better
account, than we can now give, of the transcendant wickedness, which
_possessed_ the hearts of those monsters?
Indeed, in the simpler ages, our forefathers, who read the scriptures,
and believed what they read, constantly ascribed any crime, with which
they charged another, to _the instigation of the devil_; as you may
see from the language of those forms, which are used, in criminal
prosecutions to this day: and, if those charges be vow considered as
_mere forms_, it was not always so; and a better reason will be required,
than can be presently given, why any Christian should so conceive of
them.
3. But to all this it be said, “that the doctrine, here laid down, as
scriptural, is strange and incredible; that it makes the virtue and
happiness of men depend on others, and not themselves; that it supposes
a power, adverse to the great Creator and Governor, and able, on many
occasions, to prevail against him, which, degrades both his _sovereignty_
and his _wisdom_; and that, above all, it represents weak simple men as
exposed to the practices of great and subtle tempters, which overturn all
our ideas of the divine _justice_ and _goodness_.”
The objection might be expressed in more words, but you see the drift and
force of it. Now, in answer, it would be enough to say, that, let the
difficulties be what they will, the doctrine is scriptural. But then, as
to those difficulties themselves, I must further say, that they are not
peculiar to this doctrine, as revealed in scripture, but bear equally
against the natural doctrine of God’s moral government.
For do we not see that we all of us depend in a great measure, for
the virtue and happiness we possess, on the conduct of others? Can we
look about us, and not perceive an order of beings, I mean, _wicked
men_, opposing themselves to the will of God, traversing his righteous
purposes, and prevailing, for a time at least, against his primary
intentions? Do they not pervert, corrupt, destroy multitudes every day;
and are not the weak and simple permitted to fall into the snares of the
wise and crafty? Do not these things evidently take place in our world,
and is it thought any derogation from the attributes of God that they
should be allowed to do so? Are not men, too oft, a sort of devils to
each other, and can we wonder that vice and misery are much in the power
of such agents? Yes, but _spiritual unseen_ agents!—Does that make any
mighty difference? Is it necessary to suppose that _spirits_, of whatever
rank, are privileged from abusing their free-will, and from being
perverse and wicked, as we see men are? And, what if they are _unseen_?
Have we reason to expect, from the present constitution of things, that
we should suffer only from the practices of known and visible tempters?
As if much of the vice and wretchedness of this life did not come upon
us by surprize, as we may say, and when we think little of the cause, or
the agent! A lye, flies in the dark, and misleads many into errors, and
even crimes. A libel, gets abroad, nobody knows from whom, and yet shall
tempt, perhaps drive, unwary multitudes, into rebellion. How many plots
of wickedness are laid and succeed, when the plotter is out of sight and
not so much as suspected! Nay, a certain cast of mind, or temperament of
body, things, wholly unknown and unthought of by most men, shall, without
great care and circumspection, be fatal to our virtue. Even the air, we
breathe, (which, like the _prince of the power of the air_, is to us
invisible) has a secret, and yet, sometimes, powerful influence on our
passions. And shall we still disbelieve the seduction of an evil spirit,
because he steals insensibly upon us?
But the true answer to all objections of this sort, whether men or devils
be the tempters, is, that neither shall prevail, but by our own fault,
by some carelessness, or wilful corruption of our own hearts, which are
always sufficiently admonished, that the enemy is at hand, when evil
thoughts, however produced, begin to stir in them. Then is the time to
watch, and _resist_: and our resistance, the text tells us, will not
be in vain. And what though legions of spirits lay siege to us! We may
call _more than twelve legions of angels_, even the holy Spirit of God
himself, to our assistance, if we please; for _greater is_ HE THAT IS IN
US, _than he that is in the world_[236]. So _faithful is God_, after all
our impious surmises and distrust of his gracious providence, _who will
not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able_, though Satan himself
be the tempter, _but will with the temptation also_, if we be careful to
do our part, _make a way for us to escape_[237].
4. And this being the case, all objections to the doctrine here
inculcated, fall to the ground; so that I have only to remind you, in two
words, (for the time will not allow many) of the _moral and religious
uses_, we ought to make of it.
I shall but mention ONE, of each sort.
1. In a RELIGIOUS view, the belief of this doctrine is of the utmost
importance: for the whole scheme of Redemption is founded upon it. For
_therefore_ Christ came into the world, and suffered upon the cross,
_that, through death_, as St. Paul says, _he might destroy him, that had
the power of death, that is, the_ DEVIL[238]. And, universally, _for this
purpose_ (I quote the words of St. John) _the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the_ DEVIL[239]. It concerns us,
then, infinitely, to take heed lest, by denying, or questioning, or
explaining away, the existence and agency of the evil spirit, we subvert
the foundation of our faith, detract from the glory of our Saviour’s
passion, and unthankfully _despise the riches of his goodness_ in dying
for us: nay, and lest we blaspheme the Holy Ghost; who was given to
_help our infirmities_[240], to _strengthen us with might in the inner
man_[241], and therefore to save us, from the power of _that spirit,
which worketh in the children of disobedience_[242].
2. In a MORAL view it is, also, of great importance, that we entertain
right notions on this subject.
I know that the _world_ and the _flesh_ are powerful enemies enough, and
that we need not wish to signalize our courage by a contest with any
_other_.
But if there _be_ another, we are concerned to know what our danger is,
and to provide against it. Security is generally fatal; especially when
the strength of the enemy is greater than we take it to be. Therefore,
let us learn from scripture, what that strength is; and let us use all
diligence in _resisting_ (as we have long since engaged to do) not the
_world_ and the _flesh_ only, but also, the DEVIL. This is the advice of
the text—_Resist the_ DEVIL. And then, too, is the advice of the Apostle
Peter—_Be sober, be vigilant; become your adversary, the_ DEVIL, _as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour_[243] (words, by
the way, which put the _personality_ of the tempter out of all question);
_Whom resist_, says he, _stedfast in the_ FAITH; under the protection of
which shield, _we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of_ THE
WICKED[244].
SERMON XLVII.
PREACHED MARCH 29, 1772.
PROV. xvi. 6.
_By the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil._
All the authority of Solomon’s name and wisdom will, I doubt, be no more
than sufficient to procure respect to this observation; which some may
consider as a _trite and vulgar truth_, scarce deserving their regard;
while others, perhaps, will not so much as allow it to be a truth at
all, but indeed a _vulgar mistake_, arising out of the narrow views of
ignorant or superficial declaimers. It may be slighted by one set of men,
as conveying _no_ information, and by another, as conveying a _wrong_
one.
Let me attempt then to rescue the sacred text from both these
imputations. Permit me to shew you, that the observation, it contains, is
neither so generally received, as to make all further discourse about it
frivolous and unnecessary; nor yet, on the other hand, of so questionable
a nature, as to justify the scorn with which it is sometimes rejected.
I. To those, who are such fastidious hearers of the word, as to disregard
an important truth, because repeatedly inforced upon them, I might reply
that such truths can never be insisted upon too much, that our duty is to
inculcate them, _in season, and out of season_.
But the fact is mistaken. We are so far from nauseating our hearers, with
a too common and superfluous truth, when we remind them perpetually,
that, _by the fear of God, men depart from evil_, that, on the contrary,
very many want to be informed, or at least convinced, of it.
What the text affirms, is, that the _fear of God_, or the RELIGIOUS
PRINCIPLE, is the proper guide of life. But look now into the _world_,
at large: there the acknowledged rule of life, is FASHION. Look into the
_civil or political_ world: there the boasted rule of life, is THE LAW
OF THE MAGISTRATE. Look into the _learned_ world: there too commonly the
only rule of life is each man’s own reason, or what he proudly calls
PHILOSOPHY.
And will it now be said that _the fear of God_, is a principle too stale
and too unquestioned to be discoursed upon and recommended to you from
this place, when we see so large and so considerable a part of the world
actuated by one or other of these different and discordant principles?
But neither
II. Is the truth, though far enough from being generally received, so
slightly grounded as to justify any man in the contempt of it.
It is a truth, taught of God, and revered by all wise men. It has nature,
and reason, and experience on its side; and is only combated by the
folly, the short-sighted policy, or lastly, the pride, of half-thinking
and presumptuous men.
For to give, now, the godless principles, I before mentioned, a short and
separate examination.
1. Tell _the man of the world_, that the religious principle is that by
which alone he ought to govern himself, and you are presently told of the
power and prerogatives of FASHION.
“_The fear of God_, he will say, may be the proper rule of monks and
hermits; but must be qualified, at least, in many respects, by such
as live in the world and mix in the society of it. They who have to
converse with mankind, are to accommodate themselves to their notions
and practices: they are to think with the rest of the world, or at least
they are to act with them: they are to found their moral systems on the
liberal and enlarged basis of approved use or custom. Their observation
of human life must inform them of the ways that men take to conciliate
the good will of their fellows, to prosecute their own advantages in
the world, and to acquire the confidence and esteem of that society, in
which they are stationed. What they find to be the rule of others, must
be a rule to themselves. To do otherwise is not weakness, only: It is,
besides, arrogance, incivility, inhumanity.”
All this is thought plausible by some men; and taken together, it must
be owned, forms a very easy and commodious system: but how consistent
with conscience, with duty, and with common sense, they will do well
to consider. For if _fashion_ only be to regulate our conduct in all
cases, I ask not what becomes of piety, but of humanity itself, I mean of
those offices which we owe to others and to ourselves, and which reason
dictates to us in every situation. Custom, you will say, is practical
reason. But what! To be led blind-fold by the prevailing practice,
whatever it be, what is it but to renounce our intelligent nature, and to
live at hazard, and without reason? Further still: If it be sufficient to
do as we see others _creditably_ do, without examining any farther, we
shall often find ourselves involved, I do not say in the most irrational,
the most inconsistent, but the most horrid practices. Then, killing with
malice and with forethought, if the point of honour prevail, will be no
_murder_: And, adultery, if the law of politeness so ordain, shall hide
its atrocious nature under the mask of _gallantry_: Then shall society
at large become a scene of fraud and rapine; good faith, shall be termed
_simplicity_, and fair dealing, _folly_.