"He that feareth God shall come forth of them all." Eccl. vii. 18.

THE corrupt inclination of our nature to what is sinful, is what the apostle calls, "Sin that dwelleth in us : " Rom. vii. 17: and is a constant, powerful stimulus to the actual commission of sin. The objects around us, prove the unhappy occasions of sin to us; our company, society, callings, and circumstances, frequently prove temptations to sin. The world, though not necessarily set against our spiritual interests, is an enemy to our souls; hence the apostle calls it an "evil world: " Gal. i. 4. The things of the world are suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites, and excite and inflame them: 1 John ii. 15. The devil is another great enemy of our souls, and is continually engaged to estrange our affections from God, to the practice of iniquity: 1 Pet. v. 8. The Scriptures assure us, that our spiritual foes are very numerous Eph. vi. 12. Without, we have fightings; within, we have fears. But greater is he that is for us, than all that can be against us. Our best defence against temptation, is religion, or, the fear of the Lord. "He that feareth God," need fear nothing else: Isa. xxxv. 4, Satan may tempt, but he cannot force, nor take away your crown: Jas. i. 12. The least sin is a greater evil than the greatest temptation. Were you an empty vessel, the enemy would let you alone; for he is too skillful a pirate ever to attack an empty ship: Heb. iv. 15. Up with your faith, and down with your fears; for though you may be greatly tempted, you shall be greatly supported: 2 Cor. xii. 9. Your greatest enemy lies in your own bosom, night and day: Jer. xvii. 9. Resist the devil and he will, coward-like, flee from you: James iv. 7. The weapons you fight with, must be fervent prayer, and faith in the promises of God; and be sure you keep a constant watch, lest you be taken by surprise: Eph. vi. 18. Prize the word of God, as your blessed charter of salvation; plead the promises before him; in the hour of temptation fly to him; expect all you need from him; even victory over all sin, deliver ance from all trouble, holiness here, and glory hereafter. A host of foes can never harm you, while you serve the Lord of hosts: 1 Cor. x. 13.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James i. 12.

THE Bible is the Christian's charter; it is therefore our highest wisdom to study it, and to judge of God's love to us from his word and promises, and not from our circumstances, trials, and feelings. Observe, 1st. "Blessed is the man, whoever he may be, or whatever might be his condition, "that endureth temptation." A man may suffer much, and not be said to endure anything; but he who patiently endures, and with constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of his duty, is truly blessed: Heb. ii. 18.

2d, Afflictions, whatever might be their nature, are so far from taking away the happiness of a man who loves God, that they only tend to increase it. So that no temptations need make us miserable, since God designs them to make us comfortable; for "blessed is the man that endureth temptation, "

3d. A tried Christian is sure to be a crowned one, "When he is tried," when he is approved, when his graces are found to be genuine, and his integrity manifested; when he has been refined as metals are in the fire, when all his dross has been taken away, and "sterling" has been stamped upon him, "he shall receive the crown of life. We who bear the cross in time, shall wear the crown in eternity: 2 Cor. v. 1.

4th. The future blessedness, involved in a crown of life, is a thing promised to every righteous sufferer, by the God of truth; and may therefore be safely depended upon. "The Lord hath promised" it; and will give it: 2 Tim. iv. 8.

5th. We must endure temptation from a principle of love to God, in order to sustain the character to whom this promised crown shall be given; otherwise we are not interested in the promise. "The Lord hath promised to them that love him." And whatever we may suffer, or do, if it arises not from a sincere love to God and man, it will never be pleasing to God: 1 Cor. xiii. 3. Temptations, or trials, from God, can never injure us; they being designed to improve us : Gen. xxii. 1 : Heb. xi. 11.

"To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things." Prov. ii. 12.

NOTHING will kill the love of a bewitching deceitful world, in a deceitful heart, but a sight of heaven by faith. The world we are in most danger of being ensnared by, is, that depraved and blind multitude who love themselves, or the creature, without paying any regard to the Creator: Eph. ii. 2, 3: and who have such an enmity to God, that they hate all who love him: John xv. 19. But if you have the grace of God in your heart, that will produce a hope of heaven in the soul; and "deliver you from the way of the evil man,” which will be a blessed deliverance; for his way leads to death: Prov. xiv. 12. The enemy is here spoken of as one, when, the fact is, there is a whole gang of them; all engaged, as one man, to oppose religion; and are united, heart and hand, to support the kingdom of Satan: Isa. xxviii. 14, 15. But you need not fear them, for you shall have a complete victory over them: 1 John v. 4. Wisdom, which is religion, will keep you from falling into their snares; so that while you are in the world, you shall be kept from the evil of the world : John xvii. 15, 16. Those of the world are generally known by their conversation; they speak "froward things." To show their own erm''y to religion, and to dissuade others from it, they speak all they can against it; and are fond of cavelling with the word of God; and are never better pleased than when they think they have been successful in their endeavors: Gal. iii. 1. From those who openly deny all religion, you have but little to fear: because you know them; 1 John iv. 4: but the greatest enemies to Christianity are to be found amongst those who are called Christians; who, while they make a profession of piety, practice iniquity: Eph. Of all men upon earth, a worldly minded professor is most to be pitied, and none so much to be dreaded; they strive to keep God and the world, while they enjoy neither: 1 John ii. 15. Search the word of God, keep it, study it; that directs thee to Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The only way to happiness is the way of holiness; walk in it, and shun every evil way.

V.

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world." Gal. i. 4.

WHEN the world came out of the hands of its Creator, it was declared by him to be "very good;" but the sin of man ruined it, and brought it and himself under a curse Gen. i. 31: iii. 17, 18. The present world, which was made a blissful world by God, is now an enemy to our souls, therefore the apostle calls it an "evil world." Not as though it were evil in itself, and necessarily set against our spiritual interests; no, but the things of the world being suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites, excite and inflame them, like unwholesome food, that is pleasant to the taste, but feeds the disease. Every creature of God would be good, if rightly used: 1 Tim. iv. 4. Observe, then,

1st. "This present world is an evil world, on account of sin that made it such; and the sin, sorrow, pains, and calamities with which it abounds; and the many snares and temptations to which we are exposed while we remain in it. But though But though we have to live in it, if we are Christians, we are not of it: John xv. 19.

For,

as a

2d. Jesus Christ "gave himself for our sins,' great sacrifice to make atonement for us: 2 Cor. v. 21: "that he might deliver us from this present evil world. Not that he might immediately take us out of it, but deliver us from the power and evil of it: John xvii. 15. We are only travellers through it; and while in it, we shall have to do with it; but must be careful to keep ourselves unspotted from it: James i. 27. By living to Christ, we become dead to the world; and by dying to it, we obtain a victory over it: Gal. vi. 14. Christ has wrought out a deliverance for us, but we can never enjoy it but by faith in his merits; he died to save us from our sins when he died for our sins: Matt. i. 21. And no one can consistently call him their Saviour, who is living in sin; and was it not a sin to live under the power and influence of the world, he would never have given himself to deliver us from it; and if Christ Jesus has not saved us from sin, I am at a loss to know what he has saved us from. To obtain a victory over the world, you must fight against it, in the strength of the dear Redeemer who gave himself for us: John xvi. 33.

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen. iii. 15.

HERE we have war proclaimed between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. There are two particulars which demand our serious attention.

1st.

First. The Lord put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between his seed and her seed. The serpent is addressed, but the Devil is intended. He is called "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and satan: Rev. xx. 2. The following reasons may be assigned why he is called a serpent. He assumed that form when he tempted Eve: ver. 1: he is crafty, subtle, and cunning: 2 Cor. ii. 3. and his influence on man resembles the deadly bite of a serpent: Gen. xlix. 17. 2d. The woman is named because she was deceived by the serpent: 1 Tim. ii. 14. 3d. Wicked men are influenced by the seed of the serpent; he is their father, and they do his works: John viii. 44. The old serpent is an enemy of God; and so are all his children: Rom. viii. 7. All our sinful lusts and works spring from the same seed. 4th. The "seed of the woman is the Saviour of the world, the only begotten Son of God: Ga!. iv. 4 1 John ii. 2. Christ, and all believers in him, are of the woman's seed; they being one in him their living Head: Col. i. 18, 19. 5th. God put enmity between these parties; and no one can ever reconcile them; for the devil is sinful and polluted; Christ is pure and holy ; the devil is a destroyer; CHRIST is a SAVIOUR; the devil is a cruel tyrant; Christ is a mild Prince; the devil is to be destroyed: Heb. ii. 14. Christ must reign and conquer: 1 Cor. xv. 25.

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Secondly. The seed of the woman was to bruise the serpent's head, and the serpent was to bruise is heel. This language is figurative, and we understand it to mean, 1st. By the head of the serpent, the mischievous power of the devil. The life, power, and poison of the serpent lie in its head. 2d. The Saviour came into the world to bruise his head. See the first conflict: Matt. iv. 1-11. 3d. To bruise his head, is to crush his power: Rev. xx. 10. 4th. Christ gave a death-blow to the serpent in his death and resurrection : 1 Cor. xv. 20-22.