they might be thereby, yet every thing is to be fathered upon one wicked angel, who was the firft that ever framed and circulated lies, and was the caufe of others doing the fame. Here then in one fingle angel, who was created in glory, and had the truth delivered unto him, lying, and confequently all finning, began. He left and forfook the path of truth, in order to follow that of falfehood.

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The nature of his crime is mentioned by Paul in the fecond chapter of the epiftle to the Colloffians, and that was, not holding the head; owing to his being puffed up with vanity and

pride. He gave way to the vain thought,

that it was too much condefcenfion in him to accept of a place or title under a fuperior. This was the religion which he had fet up in heaven among angels, and alfo on earth among the fons of men. Against this therefore the appoftle cautions the Coloffians, afferting that Chrift the fon and image of the invifible God, was the head and ruler of all orders of created beings: and that holding him, and honoring him as fuch, the true religion, which flood in direct

was

oppofition

oppofition to the lying religion of the corrupt and apoftate angels. Satan got the inferior angels to espouse his caufe, by telling them lies. Thefe lies must be pleasing; else they would be no baits. They confifted in promises, that he would raise them to higher dignities and places than they could hope for where they were. That he would advance them out of those inferior ftations which they had hitherto filled up, to principalities: and, to the dignities of high powers and rulers through the fyftem. This was plainly the bribe which took, and corrupted all that would hearken to his flatteries and impofitions.

Indeed when he attacked the woman, he could not ask her to declare for him as her head and

ruler. For being obliged to metamorphofe himself into the mean habit and form of a ferpent, there. would have been no fense in a reptile's claim to divine and independent fovereignty. But ftill it is the fame fin he has under hand, for he puts it into her head to do the fame as he had done, in aiming at independency and equality with God.

But when he came to try our Lord, being

permitted

as

permitted to put on a more creditable form, and having in vain endeavored by other means to make impreffions upon him, refolved to make his laft and chief attempt by bribery. And when by his juggling he had presented to his view a beautiful landscape of the earth, and not knowing as yet his real character, propofes himself to him a head and fovereign: and, affures him, that if he would own him under this title, and as token of it fall down and worship him, it was in his power to be of great fervice to him. He would make him the head and lord of the whole earth; and put him in poffeffion of it, as a gift or gratuity for his intereft in fupport of his caufe. Bribery is, of all fins the most powerful, taking, and enfnaring: therefore when the devil faw, that he could make no impreffion this way, he gave up the point. If this failed, fuccefs by any thing else was not to be expected.

Bribery is the fin with which the devil infpires. all the wicked rulers of the earth; and spreads it through the community, as what fixes it upon the fame bafis as his own kingdom. Bribery is the mafter-piece in the mystery of iniquity. It

is the most antient, most damnable, devilish and complicated of all the mifchief in the universe. Hell had its origin and foundation in it, and almost all its interefts are carried on and fupported by it, through every age of the world.

Christians are therefore particularly cautioned and armed against the intrigues of the devil upon this head, as the main principle and ftrength of his caufe. Ephefians 6. 10. -Be ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ftand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against fpiritual wickedness in those celeftial places, as the word is. The ephefian chriftians are here taught the nature of their conflict, and the neceffity of a refolute ftand in order to make good their ground. They are advised to be ftrong and well armed, for that the fight in which they had engaged, was not against flesh and blood: not against men unaffifted, but infpired and helped by the devils. They were to oppofe and overcome the powers,

rulers

rulers and magiftrates of the earth, earth, as infpired and hurried on by the devil and his various orders of grandees, whom he had in the beginning, raised to principalities, falfe titles and dignities; not knowing, I dare fay then, the nature of the kingdom they were fetting up,

The rulers of the earth would have a great deal of evil in them, and oppofition to the gofpel, if they were left to themselves as they are finful creatures; but nothing comparable to what they now have as infpired by the apoftate angels. Thefe are managing the fpiritual principles of wickedness in the celeftials: fo the apoftle expreffes it. Those principles of wickednefs which were hatched in the celestial regions, and proved so powerful to make a party for the devil in the beginning, are of all others what they are moft diligent to infpire the rulers of the earth with, in order to turn civil government, the most glorious thing on this fide heaven, into an enormous fyftem of darkness. These principles are perjury and bribery. These were the first principles of the kingdom of Satan which he fet up in heaven or the upper realms, and doubtlefs intended to maintain

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