ment; which was piously instituted by the Church in Commemoration of those many and eminent Benefits which we receive from the Holy Angels. Among these none of the leaft is what we now treat of, their affifting us in refifting the Temptations of evil Spirits. For being miniftring Spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation, as it is Heb. i. 14. they apply themselves with unwearied Diligence to this charitable Office: Attending the Motions of our Minds, infinuating good Counfels, countermining the Stratagems of the Devil, enlightning the Mind, moving the Affections, promoting the Good of the Soul.

How all this is performed by them, we may easily conceive, after a clear Comprehenfion of the Method whereby evil Spirits operate in our Souls. For whatfoever natural Power thefe poffefs, equally belong to the Holy Angels, who partake of the fame Nature, and differ only in the Quality of good and bad. If they have the Power of moving Matter, and fo of affecting our Imagination; much more thefe, who are the Meffengers of God. If they can imprint Ideas in our Mind by immediate In, fluence; much more thefe, whofe pious Designs are bleffed and profpered by their Almighty Patron. If they by long Obfervation have found out the Turnings and Windings of the Heart of Man; thefe pof

fefs

fefs by Nature an equal Knowledge, and have obtained a much greater by Divine Communication. If they have discovered the lefs defenfible Places of the Soul of Man, where the Attempt may most successfully be made; thefe have difcerned the Arguments of Obedience, which are most perfuafive to every fingle Man, and fail not to apply them fitly. If they prosecute their Hatred and wicked Designs against Mankind with unwearied Malice; thefe continue their good Offices with no less constant Diligence and Charity. If they be rendered vigorous and powerful in all their Actions by their Subtilty, Agility, long Experience and comprehenfive Knowledge; thefe obtain the fame Faculties in equal Perfection, and with far greater Probability of Success in the Ufe of them; in as much as therein these act in Obedience to God, they in Oppofition to him; these with a constant Complacency and Profpect of Reward to be obtained by it; thofe with a perpetual Vexation, as knowing the Increase of their Punishment doth attend it; thefe affifted and directed by God, those restrained and with-holden by him. In fhort, if the Devils bring great Detriment to the spiritual Interefts of Mankind, the Angels bring no lefs Advantage to it; that it may be queftioned whether it were more eligible for Man to fuffer the Temptation of evil, for the Affiftance of good Spirits, or to want them

both together. Only the fame Caution which we before obferved to be neceffary in procuring and continuing the Grace of God, is alfo required here; that we render our felves worthy of it by a diligent Concurrence; and that as we fhould not by our Perverfenefs grieve the Holy Spirit of God, fo neither should we by our Negligence and obftinate Perfeverance in Sin grieve the Holy Angels.

And this is the only Reward, which for all their Labour and Care bestowed on us, they require of us; that together with them we pay a due Obedience to our common Master; that we defeat not their charitable Designs by our own Wilfulness. Worship and other Signs of Divine Honour they affect not; nay, this they will not receive from us. The End of their Labour is to procure Happinefs to Man, and the Reward of it, next to the Confcience of having obeyed their great Mafter, is the Satisfaction of their Succefs in it. Their on

ly Aim is that we would join with them here in paying entire Obedience to our common Creator; that fo we may join with them hereafter in finging Praises to him.

To him therefore be afcribed the Glory and Thanks of all their charitable Operations in Relation to Mankind; to him be rendred all Praife and Honour, who at first created fuch excellent Beings, and after

wards

wards fent them forth to minifter to our Salvation; who hath placed in us Souls not unlike to these noble Beings; and hath promised, that if we be not wanting to our felves, he will in due Time make us fully like unto them. To him, with his Son and bleffed Spirit, be afcribed all Power, Might, Majefty, Dominion and Adoration, henceforth and for evermore.

SER

SERMON VIII.

Preach'd on the 20th of August, 1689. at Lambeth Chapel.

St. MARK VIII. 36.

For what shall it profit a Man, if he shall gain the whole World, and lofe his own Soul?

I

T is the peculiar Character of the Christian Religion, that it is adapted as well

to the Intereft as the Reafon of Mankind; that it is not only confentaneous to our Natures, but advantageous to our Perfons; that it not only prefcribes to us our Duty, but directs us in the way of Happinefs. Herein it infinitely furpaffeth even all the more refined Systems of the Gentile Divinity and Philofophy. They pretended to no more than to refine our Reafon, and enlighten our Understanding, by the Knowledge and Confideration of Truth. But then they could produce nothing wherewith to fatiate the unbounded Appetite of

the