kingdom which endured many ages, and was, by our Lord Himself, mentioned more than once as "the prince of this world'."

Against the usurpation of this prince of darkness arose One whom the Scriptures entitle "the Prince of Life"," and in opposition to the kingdom which he had raised by means of human wickedness, arose a "kingdom not of this world 3, which shall finally and completely supersede it.

But, in the mean time, we are all born ubjects of the former prince, and citizens f his kingdom; for although dethroned rom his acknowledged sovereignty, though eprived of his absolute power over manind, he still rules all those who prefer

1 John xii. 31.; xiv. 30.; xvi. 11. Cf. Ignatius Rom. c. 7.; ad Philadelph. c. 6. ; ad Trall. c. 4.;

! Ephes. c. 17. Id. ad Magnes. c. 1.

2 Acts iii: 15.

3 ἡ παλαιὰ βασιλεία διεφθείρετο. Ignat. Εp. ad >hes. c. 19.

his service to the service of GOD, and is lord of every child of sinful man, until regenerated by adoption and grace.

The difference between the former and the present condition of mankind is this. Before the advent of our Redeemer, they were captives to Satan, whether they would or not. "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope 1." The world lay in darkness, and in the shadow of death; "darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people ;" and "the times of this ignorance GoD connived at," GOD permitted for the furtherance of His own inscrutible counsels.

1

But when the fulness of time was come, GoD sent forth His Son ;" and He "beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from heaven "," headlong from the plenitude of his power over the world; and the Son

1 Rom. viii. 20.

Luke x. 18.

Himself announced His triumph to His disciples, with holy exultation, in the deliverance of mankind. "Now is the

judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out'." And shortly before His departure from them, He consoled them with the assurance that "the prince of this world is judged 2;" he is called to account, and the days of his kingdom are numbered; so that the Apostle declares to the Hebrews, that Christ "hath destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil"."

By nature, and by our birth, we are still subjects of the prince of darkness, and form his remaining kingdom in this world; but in our baptism we renounce our allegiance to this evil dominion, and devote ourselves, as subjects and servants, to another Prince, who is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." "We covenant,'

1 John xii. 31.

3 Heb. ii. 14.

2 John xvi. 11.

says one of the primitive fathers, "to renounce the devil, his pomp, and his followers1:" or, as another expresses the same sentiment, "we are pledged to renounce the devil and the world"." We are plainly warned that we can make no compromise between Christ and Belial; that independence is out of the question, we must profess ourselves under the banner of one of the two great belligerent powers; either of that power which, being almighty, goes forth "conquering and to conquer," or of that which, after a few more vain struggles, is doomed to perish with all its followers.

1 Tert. de Animâ, cap. 17.
2 Cyprian, de Bono Pat. s. 7.

3 This appears to be the sense in which the ancient writers employ the term avrεžovolov. See Justin Martyr, Dial. p. 329. Theophilus, p. 103. Clemens Alex. Strom. 5. Hæc erit vis divinæ gratiæ, potentior utique naturâ, habens in nobis subjacentem sibi liberam arbitrii potestatem quod aurεžovotov dicitur.Tertullian, de Animá, c. 21.

:

And now let me entreat you to observe that this is no allegory, nor figure of speech it is a plain statement of our present actual position. The contest is still going on; both parties are zealously recruiting their forces; both princes are numbering their subjects; and the great final conflict, the result of which is written in the Book of fate, draws on.

It is clear that numbers are on the side of the enemy; and the Captain of our Salvation, with that generous confidence which, in inferior combats, ensures victory, absolutely and disdainfully discharges from His service the greater proportion of those who are willing to call themselves by His name, because He knows "what is in man1;" He knows that they are ready to share in the spoils of victory, but afraid to encounter the battle, and resolved to make no sacrifice

1

1 Thomas à Kempis, de Imit. Christi.