Power of the devil.

fore, following this annunciation, "I renounce the devil and all his works, are a mere amplification of what is there avowed, and they do not strictly contain any thing but what is comprehended in that clause. Still there is an advantage in considering that which we are to renouuce under three distinct heads. Whatever we do amiss proceeds either from the secret suggestions of an invisible `enemy, from the temptations thrown in our way by the visible objects around us, or from the bad disposition of our own nature. That is, from the devil, the world, or the flesh.

Our attention in the present lecture is to be confined to a consideration of the evil influences that emanate from the first two named sources, the devil and the world.

1. I renounce the devil.

There is but one Being in the wide universe that acts entirely independent of all other beings, and that Being is the uncreated, self-existent, and all perfect God. But yet there is a class of beings, and they constitute a multitude which no man can number, who stand above the reach of the seductive influence of apostate spirits, and over whose pure and God-like nature, the visible objects of the material universe can exert no malign or deadly spell. But it is far different with the moral and intelligent beings that dwell on this earth. There are two reasons for this. The one is, that mankind are sinful beings, and the other that they are in a state of trial.

Now from the very circumstance that mankind are in a sinful state, Satan has an almost unlimited control over them. The bonds of corruption which are around them when they come into the world, are the meshes and toils of the net in which they are taken, and with which he expects to drag them down to the shore of the burning lake. Man's love of sin renders him an easy prey to the enemy of his soul. For though this enemy is continually traversing the earth, seeking whom he may devour, his appearance is always under the deceptive form of an angel of light. He studies continually to know what will please the human heart. And through that pleasing medium he conveys to our inmost soul the deadly poison of sin.

The first and most frequent falsehood which he endea

Renunciation of the devil.

vours to fasten upon the minds of men is, that he does not exist; that there is no devil. If he can make them believe this, he feels confident that he shall be able to carry on and consummate, unopposed and unresisted, his plans of destruction. But as long as the Bible is regarded as the work of God, all who are not absolutely mad and infatuated must admit that there is a fearful apostate spirit walking the earth, seeking whom he may devour. And, alas! as we have already intimated, our eyes are so blinded, and our whole moral nature so disordered by sin, that we become willing confederates with this infernal leader, in acts of rebellion against heaven's Sovereign; acts of rebellion which must ultimately involve us in the flames of hell. We can hardly estimate or compute the amount of bad influence which he exerts over the minds of men, and this often too while they are all unconscious of its source. He possesses the power of enticing us just in the same way that wicked men do, only much more effectually. We know that one man may tempt another by bringing before him enticements corresponding to his frailties. So Satan may present to the mind ideas and images which are suited and have a tendency to call into action the bad dispositions and desires of the persons tempted.

But when we make a profession of religion in the ordinance of adult baptism, or renew that profession in the rite of confirmation, we renounce Satan. This has been practised from the earliest ages of Christianity. In the primitive church this renunciation was accompanied with many striking and significant ceremonies. The candidate for baptism, standing before many witnesses, with his face turned to the west,-the point in the heavens where the natural sun disappears, and darkness, the emblem and type of Satan, comes rolling in sable gloom over the earth,publicly, distinctly, and with violence of gesticulation, renounced the devil for ever and ever. From that moment, every bond of union, every connexion, every relation between him and the powers of darkness was considered as severed and broken.

And just in the same manner, we have a right to expect that they who present themselves for confirmation have broken every connexion that once held them under the power and dominion of this prince of evil. In this very

Renunciation of the vanities of the world.

act of public renunciation they declare an eternal war with him. It is therefore presumed that this warfare has previously commenced; that they have already taken their stand to resist the devil; that they have determined to follow another and a new leader; that under his heavenly conduct and guidance, they are determined to watch unto prayer lest they enter into temptation; that they have done with Satan for ever; that they will be no more his bond slaves. They renounce him and his works; pride, envy, malice, and all that host of evil passions which are roused and kept alive by the secret influence and agency of that invisible enemy.

2. We declare that we renounce "the pomps and vanities of the world."

No one of reflection can look into society, without seeing that there are in the world two classes of men, living and labouring for two entirely different and distinct objects. The one class, which are comparatively few in number, seem living only for eternity. Their minds appear to be fixed upon some distant invisible good. They seem ready to make any sacrifices, which, if not made, would interfere with that object, or to undergo any labour that will contribute to its attainment. The other class are manifestly living just for the present. Whatever promises to make them happy at once, is regarded as their chief good. All the means of being happy which the present life offers, they deem it their wisdom to secure.

Self-idolatry is the besetting sin of our fallen nature. To be admired, and regarded as something more than human, is the envied height at which the corrupt heart is always aiming. And all the glitter and show, all the pomp and pageantry which any individual ever drew around him, were invented to gratify this wicked propensity of the corrupt human heart. We see at once, therefore, the propriety of renouncing these things, which are a part of that extended machinery through which Satan operates to destroy the souls of men. In renouncing the pomps and vanities of the world, we renounce all the evil influences that may emanate upon us from that quarter; whether these influences come from the example, the customs, the maxims, amusements, or pursuits of the world.

The heathen world had its idolatrous pomps, its public

Character of true renunciation.

These, the early

spectacles, and its immoral vanities. Christians publicly and specifically renounced. The miscalled Christian world is full of things from which the christian must utterly abstain, if he would save his soul. For it is equally true, now as formerly, that the whole world lieth in wickedness.

In this solemn act of renunciation, therefore, we renounce all methods of being powerful or popular, inconsistent with our integrity: all arts of being agreeable at the expense or hazard of our innocence: all ways of encroaching on the property of others, and all immoderate desires of adding to our own. All diversions, entertainments, and acquaintances that have a tendency to hurt our morals, or our piety; all disposition to make common custom the rule of our conduct, without considering whether it be right or wrong; the practice of filling up our time in such a manner either with business or amusements, be they ever so innocent, as not to leave room for the main business of life, the improvement of our hearts in piety, the serious exercise of religion, and a principal attention to the great concerns of eternity. These are the things in which consists" that friendship of the world which is enmity with God;" and these are the things which we renounce.

Now we may make this renunciation with our lips, while our hearts, all unchanged, are still under the influence of Satan, and completely wedded to the vain pomp and glitter of earth. Such a profession will be mockery in the sight of heaven, and will only augment our guilt, and increase our condemnation. Yet there are those who deceive themselves in this way, who utter solemn vows, and pledge their veracity before the altar of Jehovah, for a course of conduct which they never expect to pursue. This, in many instances, they do ignorantly, because a deceived heart has blinded and perverted the judgment.

To illustrate my meaning, and show you the danger of making a profession of religion, without a previous understanding of what you bind yourself to renounce, I will give you a rapid sketch of the history of one, whose errors may serve to impart salutary admonition and warning.

All who have passed a summer in New York know how delightful it is to leave, even for a few hours, the dust, and noise, and heat of the city, and in some retired, rural spot, L

Descant on a country village.

to inhale the fresh air, and gaze upon the surrounding beauty and verdure of the quiet fields. Hence, during the hot months of summer, the inhabitants of that great commercial city are seen travelling in every direction, in quest of those simple enjoyments which all the gathered luxuries of the globe and the wealth of nations cannot furnish. During this season, all the neighbouring villages are filled to overflowing, and many a retired, quiet little town, where all the rest of the year things keep on in the same uniform course, then assumes for a brief space the aspect of fashion and gayety.

During the summer of 1830, I was spending a few weeks, for the benefit of my health, in a retired country village situated on the banks of the Hudson. There was much in the cool limpid springs that gushed from the rocks, the invigorating mountain air, the scenery that spread in bold majesty around, embracing in its ample sweep every feature of beauty and sublimity; presenting to view, dark, far stretching forests, rich cultivated fields, distant mountains lifting up their heads to the clouds, in all the gigantic dimensions of the pillars of the universe; and then the waters of the broad Hudson rolling on in majesty, and bearing a hundred sails to the ocean; there was much in all these surrounding objects to lift the heart to God.

But as from day to day I looked to behold the evidences of piety, I was strikingly reminded of a verse in Heber's beautiful hymn:

"What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle;
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile:

In vain with lavish kindness

The gifts of God are strown;
The heathen in his blindness

Bows down to wood and stone."

It is true that the people around me were not avowed heathen, and did not literally bow down before wood and stone; but a large proportion of them appeared as unmindful of the God of Heaven as the inhabitants of Hindostan, and paid their homage to no other being but mammon.

There were a few souls there, however, who remem