tration of angels is employed in matters of sickness and recovery, birth and death, beyond what we usually suppose. When Herod died of worms, it

was because "an angel smote him." Those who come to the Holy Communion while in the indulgence of any sinful habit are warned, lest " they provoke God to plague them with divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death."

These considerations will be sufficient to shew us that, although many things in our life appear commonplace, yet, in reality, we are all of us existing in a much more marvellous and mysterious state than we commonly think, and particularly as regards our connexion with the holy angels,

Let us encourage such thoughts. The world is continually drawing us away to itself; and the common course of things, day and night, waking and sleeping, eating and drinking, has a tendency to make us exalt our animal nature, forgetting our higher state. The thought of the presence of the holy angels, and of our mysterious fellowship with them, although we cannot see them with our mortal and sinful eyesight, will go a great way towards keeping us in mind that this world is only a passage to another, that nothing in this world is worth very much; "for the world passeth away, and the lust thereof." To those, also, who have taken pains to obtain a right knowledge in regard to what Scripture has revealed to us concerning the angels, diligent meditation upon them will serve

as a powerful means of exciting to a holy life; for such persons will consider whom they have for the spectators of their actions, and that they are never alone, even when they seem to be most of all alone. This same thought, of the companionship of the angels, will bring them comfort in all troubles and desertions; and however much they may be called upon to suffer for conscience-sake, or however much they may be despised by men, it will be an ever-enduring consolation to reflect that, beyond all doubt, the holy angels love them. Especially will this reflection encourage Christians to aim at being humble, bearing in mind that "he who humbleth himself shall be exalted;" and that none are so like to angels as those who esteem little of themselves for Christ's sake. The same thought will also prevent an undue fear of death, since death is, to the true Christian, but the opening of a door into a more complete fellowship with those glorious societies of angelic beings, from whom in this life our sins and manifold corruptions separate us, though not altogether, yet in a great degree.

May that God who has constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order, give us all grace to reflect upon these truths to the eternal profit of our souls; that, remembering to what high things we are called, we may ever set ourselves a high standard, and press forward to the prize set before us, even eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

SERMON XIV.

SATANIC INFLUENCES.

EPHESIANS vi. 12.

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

CHRISTIANITY teaches us our true position in the Universe; and in the epistle from which our text is taken, the chief object of St. Paul seems to have been to enlighten his converts on this point. For as in any art, or science, or business, it is impossible for any person to proceed without knowing what he has to do, what is expected of him, what helps there are at hand, what difficulties are likely to happen; so also in Christianity it is necessary for one who desires to advance in a religious course, to understand first in what position he stands. Therefore it is that in this epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul is very earnest in explaining to them the nature of that state into which they had been called. For instance, in the first chapter he shews that they are to look upon themselves as

the adopted children of God in Jesus Christ, as having redemption through His blood, as having been sealed in baptism with the Holy Spirit of promise; and he declares that it was his constant prayer, that the " eyes of their understanding might be enlightened to know what was the hope of their calling, and what was the exceeding greatness of the power of God in them that believe." He then goes on to teach them the nature of that holy society, the Church of Christ, which is His mystical body; how God, in bringing them into that body, had by the blood of Christ brought nigh to Himself those who by nature were Gentiles and aliens, calling them to be fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, and building them up into an holy temple upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.

Then, lest they should be ignorant on one very important matter in regard to their condition, he informs them, towards the end of the epistle, of one chief difficulty with which they would have to contend, and for which it was necessary that they should put on the whole armour of God. "Be strong," he says, "in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God" -on what account?" that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil."

Now this is a matter well deserving our serious attention. It is impossible, as has been just said, for any person to advance in any work unless he

has some knowledge of the difficulties in his way. For instance, could a farmer at all succeed, unless he knew some of the difficulties to be expected in farming? Or if there were a bridge to be built, could any builder proceed with it successfully, unless he knew the sort of obstacles which he would have to contend against? Or could a physician cure a person of a disease, unless he were acquainted with the impediments in the way of curing him? Or could a general succeed against an enemy, unless he knew what sort of enemy it was? In short, a knowledge of our position is necessary for us in every work that we have to perform, and especially in religion.

As Christians we are brought into connexion with a great variety of objects, visible and invisible; if, then, we would advance in our Christian course, as advance we must, for either to stand still or to go back is to perish,-I say, if we would advance, we must possess ourselves with a knowledge concerning the nature of that state into which we are called, and particularly of the difficulties which lie in our way, and of the helps which are at hand to assist us in overcoming them. Ignorance on these points is an incalculable evil. For why is there so much carelessness amongst Christians, but because they are ignorant; because they will not take the pains to possess themselves fully with a sense of their condition, and its many dangers ?