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on the world, has made him his own subject, and, by means of this carnal independency in his nature, continually wrought upon by the things of the world, does keep him actually and truly under his own proper direction and guidance all the while he continues in this natural state. So that, you see man in his natural state is a creature who, according to his power, has made himself independent of God in pride, and is under the power of carnal inclination; who is fixed upon the world for the gratification of the independent carnal principle that is in his nature; and is secretly led by the devil, who, by working upon this principle of sin in a continual and engaging representation of the things of the world, does entirely, yet with the man's own freest choice, direct and lead him as he pleases.

Here we may find, then, to what the renunciation before us has regard; that it is a professed renunciation of this natural state, and consequently imports a declaration to this purpose: "I do solemnly and resolvedly renounce the service of my sinful nature, neither will I henceforward in the pride of my heart live as independent of God, nor yield myself a servant to my carnal inclinations. And therefore I do avow myself determined to forego that worldly course of conduct which is the gratification of my natural pride and carnal inclination. As also herewith and hereby I reject Satan's dominion, being steadfastly purposed by no art of his to be prevailed upon to return to his service, by yielding myself to live after the natural desires of my heart, which I will constantly oppose notwithstanding all his allurements or terrors, being firmly determined, in my own person, as well by my example as by my influence, to do what in my power is to combat with and destroy the practice of sin, and therewith the dominion and tyranny which by means of sin the devil has established, and is still maintaining in the world."

After this general view of the baptismal renunciation, I am now at full liberty to proceed to the several parts of it. The first of which is a renunciation of the devil and all his works. Here we will first explain the words themselves, and then come to certain practical considerations arising from them.

And, first, for the explanation. And here we must show what is meant by the devil, what by his works; and, under each, what it is to renounce him and them.

The devil. Every one knows that by the devil is meant the fallen angels, the leader of whom is here only mentioned, though all of them be intended. But seeing the point is, we are here renouncing the devil, it is plain that he is considered not simply as he is in himself, but as he stands related to us. For to renounce signifies to refuse, forsake, and cast off; and this we could not be called upon to do in the present case, unless the devil had concerns with us. Wherefore by the devil, in this place, is to be understood, the devil as he stands related to us in our natural state. And what his relation to us in that state is, is very plain, from the titles given him in Scripture; where he is called the prince of this world, the god of this world, and the like expressions which evidently set him out as having dominion over the world, that is, over the men of the world, all of us by nature, who, while we are in our natural state, are of this world, and, as such, of the devil, his actual, real, subjects. By the devil, we mean the devil as having usurped a dominion over us, the devil as our king, prince, and ruler.

Consequently, when we say we renounce the devil, we mean, that we renounce the devil as having dominion over us, that we cast off his service, that we no more allow him to have any guidance and direction of us. An angel may say, "I have no dealings with the devil;" but a sinner must say more. "Once I did, but now I will serve him no longer, I will submit to no more of his orders, I declare myself none of his subjects, I will pay no regard to his intimations, I will not yield myself again to him upon any of his fair but false enticements, I will not be seduced by his lies, nor frightened by his terrors into his service; him as my prince and master I absolutely and for ever disavow, and to him and his interests I am a professed determined enemy." It follows,

And all his works. I not only renounce him, but also all his works. Though it be true that all sin in general is originally the work of the devil, as far as his tempting thereto may make it his; and though it be true, also, that there are certain sins, such as pride, malice, envy, and the like, which in a peculiar propriety may be called his, because first and most malignantly in him yet, inasmuch as sin in general, and these devillike sins in particular, are more properly ours, when considered

as dwelling in us, than his, who does but tempt us to them; and inasmuch, also, as all sin in general and particular is actually included under the lusts of the flesh, and there renounced; I conceive that by the works of the devil here must be understood something different, and, therefore, that it means sin, in general and particular, in a peculiar reference to the devil's kingdom, and all such things as the devil supports his dominion by; for these are his own proper works, and are wrought for his own proper end.

Accordingly, when I say I renounce all the works of the devil, I declare, First, That, because it is by sin that the devil maintains his dominion in the world, I will practise no sin: neither in me nor by my means shall he hold dominion through my sin. I declare, Secondly, That, since it is by the general countenance given to sin in the world that he upholds his tyranny, he shall not have the countenance of my example and influence to support his cause. And I declare, Thirdly, That I myself will not give into it, and will discourage in others those various lying artifices of his by which he keeps up his hellish usurpation upon earth; such as all kind of superstitious usuages, which have no foundation in the word of God, and do serve to keep men from him by the deceit of the devil, and his holding them under unreasonable fears, as idolatry among the Heathen, false worship among the Papists, and, among us, faith in charms, ominous days, fortune-tellers, conjurers, and the like. Fourthly, Since by raising persecution against the church of God the devil attempts at last to support his kingdom, therefore I will not have a hand in any such work. Seeing by these and the like things the devil works to support his kingdom, which by seducing Adam unto sin he erected in the world, I declare that I will not meddle with any of them, and that I disclaim all his works of darkness, being absolutely resolved, that, as I will no longer serve him myself, so I will not allow myself in the practice of any one thing, great or small, by which he does in his subjects and followers labour to keep himself in the possession of his usurped government over the wicked world.

And thus much of the explanation. Let us come now to the improvement; which shall consist of an examination, and a suitable exhortation as our case shall be.

it?

Have we seen him

The examination is: Have we renounced the devil and all his works? This inquiry will serve to make what has been set forth more plain and practical. Have we renounced the devil, and all his works? that is, the devil as a prince, who by nature holds an absolute dominion over us. Have we seen the devil holding a dominion over the world? Have we seen that the most of mankind are in subjection to leading all those without exception who are not delivered by Christ captive at his will? Have we seen that ourselves are his natural-born subjects? Have we seen his dominion over ourselves and others with abhorrence and detestation? Have we gone over from him ourselves unto Christ, and declared against him, to win others from him unto the Lord? Brethren, have we thus seen, hated, and forsaken the kingdom of the devil? Take notice, this cannot be the case, if we be not renouncing the works of the devil, those works whereby the devil holds his dominion upon earth. Wherefore are none of you committing sin? What! my dear brethren, none of you committing drunkenness, or swearing, or sabbath-breaking, or fornication? What! not one who is guilty of any of these things? No; nor one covetous person, one proud, one revengeful, person here; nor one liar, nor one lover of pleasures, nor one living after the course of this world? What! is not sin practised by any of us? Can we all say, I am clean, every one for himself in the presence of God? Well, whosoever cannot, whosesoever conscience pronounces him guilty, may know, and must be told, that he is of the devil. It is not I that say this upon my own authority. It is God that says, "Whosoever committeth sin is of the devil," belongs to him, and is his servant. You do not, I am sensible, like to think yourself to be, or to be told, that you are the devil's child. Why then you must by grace forsake sin, for till you do that, while you commit sin, you are of the devil; every drunkard is of the devil, every whoremonger of the devil, every swearer, every liar, of the devil, every covetous, vain, carnal, proud, revengeful person, is of the devil. Nay, sirs, but we are all still either of the devil or not; and this one word shall prove us, "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." And is it true, then, that every soul living in sin is the devil's child and

property? O that ever that monster should have so many children where Christ is named, and among those who are baptized into his name! Nay, you say, but I trust I am not committing sin. Well; but are you not carelessly encouraging it in the world? I do not ask whether you designedly encourage it. To do this is to be a very devil incarnate. And yet (it must be spoken out) we have heard of such things particularly, such as encouraging, forcing, and deceiving others into the great sin of drunkenness; but, I ask, are you not carelessly encouraging sin in the world? But how shall this be determined? Why, if you care not though Satan have the upper hand of Christ in the world, if you do not so much as consider whether your conduct be for the encouragement of Christ's kingdom or the devil's, if you will not forego the veriest trifle for the cause of Christ, and because you see it does, or fear it may, encourage sin in the world; I beseech you, is not this carelessly, at least, being an encourager of it, and can you then be Christ's friend? Can you be doing Christ's work? Are you not plainly doing the devil's? And, if you are serving the devil's interest, judge yourself whose servant you are. Permit me to ask further; while you are thus careless about the cause of Christ, are you not also an enemy to it ? You know that persecution is the devil's work for the maintenance of his kingdom; and if you set yourself against those who profess to serve Christ for no other reason than because they profess to do so, do not you evidently lend your hand to the devil, and, in fact, however ignorantly, avow yourself to be his friend, while you thus declare yourself to be the enemy of Christ? Suffer me to deal freely where your souls are at stake. From what motive can any one set himself, by foolish jests, banter, ridicule, or whatever influence, to discourage those who desire to live after the commands of Christ, and, if they are not to be sneered nor frightened from their purpose, to look upon them with disgust and an evil eye, or to be ready to do them a bad turn? I beseech you, what manner of spirit is this? Does it come from above or below? Is it the mind of

Christ or of his adversary?

If

And now, what says Conscience upon this inquiry? Are we, or are we not, renouncing the devil and all his works? we are not declared enemies of the kingdom of sin, if we live in

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