hope of victory over sin, Satan, death, hell and the grave. O glorious victory! it is worth striving for. Then go on, Christian, fight the good fight of faith, be faithful unto death, and the Captain of your salvation will give unto you the crown of life.

You have, moreover, a host of mighty angels to guard you through the war in safety. The angels are ministering spirits, to minister unto the heirs of salvation. God gives them charge concerning the children of his grace, to be around their path by day, and their beds by night. We have reason to believe, that they ward off many a fiery dart aimed by Satan at the saint. What strong motives are these, to fight the Lord's battles! We have God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, with legions of angels on our side. What higher honour? what greater safety can we possibly have! How should this animate our heartsfor the war, and fill us with the hope of victory over all our enemies.

We may also fancy, that the spirits of just men made perfect, are now looking at those warriors which are yet on the bloody field of battle, in close combat with the enemy, and take deep interest in their safety and success. We can suppose, that they are now addressing the combatants in some such language as this: " Though your conflict be severe, it cannot be long; the God that gave us the victory over the very same enemies as you now encounter, will assuredly crown you also with victory. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and you shall soon arrive where we now are, praising him who brought us safely through, and crowned us with final victory." Remember also, that all your brethren throughout

the world are engaged in the same warfare with yourselves. They are all wrestling, and all in the fire of temptation. You march in the midst of a gallant army all of them children of the King of kings. These warriors encourage you, and you should encourage them. Every stroke and wound you give to the enemy is a joy to your fellow-soldiers, and every time you are foiled is to them a grief. Then see that you play the man as a valiant warrior.

Christians, be not afraid of Satan; he is only a creature of limited power. Is he potent? -your Captain is omnipotent. Is he in armour?- Christ can easily disarm him. He is a creature under a curse. Nothing weakens the power of a creature like God's curse. Let this encourage those that are under God's blessing and protection. Satan is a wounded and a conquered creature. Our Saviour hath conquered Satan for us, " and he will subdue him shortly under our feet." You may now come and set your feet on his neck. Courage, Christians! the great Captain of your salvation hath deprived the strong man of his armour, and hath spoiled principalities and powers for you. It was for us Christ fought our enemies, and for us he conquered. Satan is a chained, cursed creature. Think of this, Christians. The devils can do nothing till God permits them; no, not so much as to enter into an herd of swine. Believe this, and fight, confident of victory. Our greatest enemy is wholly in the power of our best friend, and father; then of whom shall we be afraid, when God fighteth for us? Now, brethren, we see the motives and encouragements we have to fight the Lord's battles.

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PART II.

IN our Christian warfare, some directions are necessary how we are to manage our spiritual combat: for we have subtle and powerful enemies to contend with. We should know these two things in particular: how the enemy assails us, and how we should defend ourselves. I shall here give the best information I can. I shall endeavour to shew how we are assaulted by our spiritual adversary-in our infancy-in youth-in the time of conversion-in our riper years and at the close of life. We should be acquainted with his several methods at each period, and how to resist and overcome him. May the Lord direct me how to write, and you to profit by what you read.

CHAPTER I.

IN OUR INFANCY.

I.-Satan works on the INFANT MIND.

There can be little doubt but the devil works on sin wherever he finds it. He finds it in human nature,

We

as soon as we are in possession of that nature. were conceived and born in sin, children of wrath, in Satan's kingdom. The dragon stands ready to devour the child as soon as it is born. "I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," must be the language of every child of man; therefore Satan puts in his claim, and tries to corrupt them, by stirring up in them all evil tempers and passions, such as peevishness, discontent, anger, pride, jealousy, and revenge, &c. This he does in order to strengthen these evil tempers in their nature, to fit and prepare them for his service, when they are of age to commit sins knowingly. Children have in their very nature the seed of every sin, and as they grow, sin grows them. As long as they continue out of Christ, Satan dwells in them and reigns in them.

in

How does this enemy deal with Infants?" While he keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace." He lets them obey their evil propensities quietly, that they may grow in strength. None have so much to fear from Satan as the children of godly parents, knowing, as he does, that many prayers are offered up for these. He knows that such parents bewail the sinful nature of their children, and dedicate them earnestly to their God and Saviour in the ordinance of baptism. This kindles his malice, and he doubtless would soon destroy them, if God allowed it. However, so long as they continue dead in sin, he knows that they are within his dominion, ready to serve him, until they are made partakers of Christ, at whatever age that may be. For the comfort of pious parents I would say, that there can be no doubt of the salvation of those

that die in infancy. How they are made partakers of Christ is an unexplained mystery; but this we know, "that of such is the kingdom of heaven."

II. The DUTY OF PARENTS here.

They have here cause for bitter lamentation, for that their child is born into the world, in a state of sin, a child of wrath, having a soul defiled and polluted all over. Pious parents take this to heart, and say, "the corruptions which we have derived from our parents, we have communicated to our children; we have made our little ones, as soon as they were born, vassals to Satan!" Sin, like a black river of poison, flows from Adam, through one generation after another, to the end of the world.

Parents should earnestly pray for their infants. If parents have truly devoted themselves to God, he hath promised to receive their children into his favour. The promise is made to them, and to their children. Plead this promise in faith, and say, "O God, thou hast graciously received me into thy covenant, I pray thee to receive my children also, and make them thy children by adoption and grace, so that they may inherit glory with thee for ever."

Parents should devote their children early to God in baptism, the ordinance which he has appointed. If you put your children in his arms, he will most assuredly bless them. Say, Lord, the children which thou hast given unto us, we give to thee again; receive and seal them for thine own, until the day of redemption.' You would think it an honour, were