creation and their union, the light of the first morning they ever beheld, was the Sabbath; and it was given to them that they might, in sweet fellowship with one another, contemplate the wonderful works of their Creator, all ministering to their happiness; and that they might hold a day of uninterrupted loving communion with one another and with their Father, God. It was probably the only Sabbath they ever thus enjoyed. The first food prepared for man, and given to him in his first estate, was plain and simple. Fruits and vegetables, in the abundance and variety, however, of the garden which God had planted, gratified his taste, while supporting his life. "Every herb bearing seed, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." The animals and the fowls of the air could then dwell together in peace without fear, for "every green herb" supplied their wants. God selected that, which was to supply this daily recurring want of our nature, as a field in which to place a test of that faith, confidence and obedience, without which a creature cannot be happy. Our first parents were restricted from the fruit of only one tree; that one they were forbidden even to touch. They did not need it; they had no desire for it. They had no knowledge of evil, nor of that Evil Being who now appears in history. 1 Gen. i. 29, 30. CHAPTER XIII. THE DEVIL-DEMONS-FAMILIAR SPIRITS. TH THE history of angels and of men confirms the important testimony of God's word, that creatures left to the freedom of their own will, though created holy, will not continue so, unless constantly upheld by the grace and power of God. 1 In the history of angels we have the first revelation of God's grace; and, that as a sovereign, He dispenses that grace according to his own will. His "elect angels" were upheld the rest were allowed to fall. In the history of man we have the first intimation that God is a God of mercy, and that, in dispensing mercy, He is likewise sovereign. Some men are elected, called, justified, and saved;2 while the rest are left to their own will, and to follow their own wicked inclinations. "He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay ?" 3 Rather let us say with the Lord Jesus: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight."4 A great number of angels "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation." 995 They are of different ranks, and are described as, "principalities, powers, rulers 11 Tim. v. 21. 2 Rom. viii. 29. 4 Matt. xi. 25. 3 Rom. ix. 18, 20, 21. Jude 6. 1 of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness, or wicked spirits." Among them is one so preeminent, that while they are all called devils, or demons, he is known as the Devil: and the others are spoken of as his angels.2 He is called "Beelzebub, the prince of the devils:"3 and is said to have a kingdom. The word Devil, from the Greek, Diabolos, means Calumniator or Accuser. Another name he bears, Satan, means Adversary or Accuser. Hence he is called "the accuser of the brethren."5 His false accusations were the commencement of Job's trials. Satan came with the sons of God before the Lord, and said, "Doth Job fear God for nought? Put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." He is known also as the "prince of this world; "the god of this world;"*"the father of unbelievers, even though they be children of Abraham, a murderer from the beginning, a liar, and the father of it." Though all the devils are deceivers and adversaries; and though the Bible says: "Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 10 yet we are warned particularly against their great leader: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."" He is the great" deceiver, that deceiveth the nations :" 12 "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." 13 7 "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell." 14 Our Lord said: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." 15 From all accounts, Satan was probably the most intelligent, the most powerful, the greatest being ever created. His condemnation was pride.' He exalted himself against God, and his first temptation of man was telling him : "Ye shall be as God." "Pride, self-adoring pride; was primal cause Pride at the bottom of the human heart Lay, and gave root and nourishment to all That grew above. Great ancestor of vice! Hate, unbelief, and blasphemy of God."-POLLOK, Well might the prophet exclaim: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground."2 For fallen angels no Saviour, no redemption was provided: our Lord "took not on him the nature of angels."3 "He hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day."4 We are told "the devils believe that there is one God, and tremble." And Satan, the Devil, is said to have "great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."6 Men little think what an influence the Devil and his angels have had in the history of the world, from creation to the present time. Even the children of God, as they are apt to forget the ministering of holy angels, also forget their constant exposure to the snares of evil ones; and need continually to be told, " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Happy are they that the great Shepherd watches over them! as He did over Peter when He said: "Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not."7 From the beginning we find, that the Devil has had a hand, and sometimes a controlling one, in all the most important. events of the history of man. The word of God teaches us that devils can enter into men and dwell in them. That one may go out of a man and afterwards return and take "seven other spirits more wicked than himself and enter in and dwell there." Out of Mary Magdalene seven devils were cast out of a Gadarene, Jesus cast out a "Legion because many devils were entered into him." When great ends were to be accomplished, the Prince of the Devils," the tempter," himself acted. He tempted Eve: he "stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel;" he tempted our Lord in the wilderness. And in his greatest effort, when he tried to destroy Jesus, "Satan entered into Judas surnamed Iscariot," and moved him to betray his master. Little did Satan think that he was assisting to carry out "the purpose for which the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil : "6 and that the time predicted was then come, that his own head should be crushed. 5 66 4 During the four thousand years of the history which God has given to us, frequent reference is made to wicked persons having familiar spirits; and consulting with them: and also to people seeking information from the dead. The word necromancer, Deut. xviii. 11, means one who seeks enquiries of the dead." For such and other abominations the Lord destroyed the Canaanites. About four hundred years afterwards, "Saul died for his transgression against the Lord, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit." The law of God to the Jews on this subject was, "A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit shall surely be put to death." 9 The soul that turneth after such as have familiar 66 'Matt. xii. 45. 2 Mark xvi. 9. 1 Chron. xxi. 1. 5 Luke xxii. 3; John xiii. 27. Deut. xviii. 12. 1 Chron. x. 13. 8 3 Luke viii. 30. 6 1 John iii. 8, Levit xx. 27, |