unless it be in mifery: hence you read of finners going in company with the devil and his angels. Matt. xxv. 41. But the moft tormenting thought to infernal pride is, that elected, redeemed, and restored men shall judge thefe infernal kings, princes, and potentates: Know ye not that we shall judge angels? 1 Cor. vi. 3. In that day it will appear, that thofe that died in free-will and felf-righteoufnefs will be found among the black brigade, as fure as there is a God that judgeth right.

These are some of the reasons that may be affigned for the devil's unlimited malice against the Saviour and his elect; therefore it is vain for the elect to expect reconciliation, feeing God has declared the war and we may fay of Satan's envy as the learned Milton does:

"Never can true reconcilement grow

"Where deadly hate has pierc'd fo deep."

Hence we may warrantably conclude, that the devil will never raise the fiege while God has a church in the world; nor will he ever drop the fuit, as a plaintiff, as long as he can draw one believer to listen to his lies, yield to his temptations, or fret at his accufations.

Abimaaz. Pray how did he begin with Prodigalis? I fuppofe in a furious way, because he had formerly been a faithful fervant to the devil; and as he knew many of his wiles, he was the better able to expose them: it is often feen that fuch are

the

the most valiant for truth, the moft loyal to the Saviour, and the moft fervent in prayer. They that are faithful to the unrighteous mammen will be fo to the true riches. Luke xvi. 11. They that have much forgiven will love much, Luke vii. 47 ; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke xii. 48.

Cufbi. You must know, that Prodigalis, being fo confpicuously delivered, thought the devil was fo rebuked as never to attack him again; nor did he in the leaft fufpect that the evils of his heart would ever make a fecond appearance; nor that he should ever lofe fight of the Saviour. In this fecure frame he was altogether unprepared for trial; the devil knew this, and therefore caught the opportunity. A believer may often be charged with being off his guard; but no fuch charge can justly be brought against the devil; in this point be is wifer than the children of light.

When the devil came to him he first poured a whole fhower of fiery darts into his mind; the corruption of his heart caught the flame, and the whole course of nature was fet on fire of hell. James iii. 6. The fmoke beclouded his underftanding; or (as Paul fays), the god of this world had blinded his eyes; his judgment was confufed, and every divine fenfation feemed to be fwallowed up with horror and difmay. Satan having thus gained an advantage of him, he prefented him afresh to the bar of judicature, and there accufed him of the very blafphemous

phemous thoughts which himfelf injected into his mind; he tempted him to believe that he had fallen from grace; he fuggefted hard thoughts of the Saviour to him, and then accufed him of it. He fuggefted to him that he had finned against the Holy Ghoft; and that all the confufion and horror that Prodigalis felt were the effects of the juft judgment of God for his unpardonable fin; and was no less than an earneft of what he would fuffer to eternity.

Prodigalis felt for his foul-comforting witness, but he could not feel him; his faith feemed not to do her ufual office: therefore the poor foul funk into the real fears of death, and horrors of hell, as bad as ever. Deftruction appeared on one fide, and Satan on the other; and the devil brought many of Mofes's old accufations against him, as if it were Mofes that was accufing him as an unbeliever.

Poor Prodigalis never was more confounded than now at his firft trial he had no fenfible hope of mercy; but to be arraigned, after justification, was a mystery too profound for him to make a judgment of. Therefore he gave all over for loft; not doubting but he was given up as a reprobate into the hands of Satan; and that he would certainly prevail to make him vent the horror and rebellion of his burdened heart in blafphemous expreffions.

While Prodigalis was finking in defpondency,

these

these words came with a divine power to his mind; Beloved, think it not ftrange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though fome frange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inafmuch as ye are made partakers of Christ's fufferings. 1 Pet. iv. 12, 13. Thefe words gained the attention of the poor man, which Satan could not endure; for he can do nothing with us any longer than while he employs our mind, and we are attentive to his lies; which is his wisdom and our folly.

The devil, perceiving that poor Prodigalis was attentive to another voice, laid violently against him; but the other having received a little encouragement from the above text, was perfuaded that he should enjoy the fentence of juftification again; nay, he was perfuaded that it would come with power a fecond time; and therefore he put up thefe petitions; Hear the right, O Lord! attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips: let my fentence come forth from thy prefence: let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou haft vifited me in the night; thou haft tried me. Pfalm xvii. 1, 2, 3.

As foon as Prodigalis had ended his petitions, the glorious Advocate anfwered his prayer in the joy of his heart; and applied these words with fuch power, that the fham court grew too hot for the cunning accufer; No weapon formed against thee Shall profper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. Ifa, xliv. 17.—

Poor

Poor Prodigalis recovering his fpiritual might, and feeing his beclouded evidences appear, if poffible, ten times brighter than ever, and finding the word of God flow in upon his mind, he laid hold of the fword of the Spirit, and faid to his accufer, It is God that juftifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Rom. viii. 33. The devil immediately vanished.

This fham trial ferved to teach Prodigalis the ufe of God's fword; and evidently fulfilled the fcriptures: Submit yourselves therefore to God; refift the devil, and he will flee from you. James iv. 7.

Abimaaz. I dare fay the poor man found his love warmer his faith ftronger-and faw the office, ufe, and faithfulness of his Advocate in a clearer light than ever he had done before. There are none that know, but thofe who experience it, how the immutable love of God, and the faithfulnefs of the Saviour, (which appears in fo many repeated deliverances), does endear the Almighty to the poor helpless believer, who is perpetually buffeted by the common enemy of God and man.

Cufbi. Indeed, Prodigalis never had feen the Saviour in his office as an Advocate but once before, and in this confufion he had loft fight of him but by means of trials we are led to feel our need of the Saviour in every character that he fuftains, which we know nothing of until various trials make us fenfible of our need of them, and