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which tempts men every day. But to understand a fallen angel designated by these terms, is not supported by other parts of Scripture, and involves this account in absurdities and utter impossibilities.

Mark iv. 15. "And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts." By comparing Luke viii. 12, the devil is said to do this, and in Matth. xiii. 19, it is said to be done by "the wicked one," or rather "the wicked," for one is in italic. What satan, devil, or wicked one, then took away the seed of the word sown in men's hearts? It has been shown, that the terms devil and satan, are often used to designate the Jews, the adversaries of our Lord and his doctrine. That they were wicked persons no one questions. It is then agreeable to the fact, that as soon as our Lord sowed the good seed of the word they were ready to prevent its salutary effects on the minds of his hearers, by contradicting and blaspheming it. Every scheme was devised by them to excite popular prejudice against our Lord and his doctrine. No assistance from a fallen angel was needed in this case, for we are told such hearers of the word did not understand it. What is not understood and believed, is little regarded, soon forgotten, and easily parted with; and especially if public prejudice be against it. If we were even to say, men's evil lusts and passions were the devil and satan that took away the seed of the word from their minds, it would be in agreement with the Scripture usage of these terms. How the seed could be taken away by means of either of these, is easily understood, but how it could be removed by a fallen angel is to me inexplicable.Let it be remembered that it is no where said that such

a being made use of them as his tools to accomplish this. See quotations from Jahn, above.

Rev. xii. 9. "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." See verses 10, 11, 12, yea, the whole chapter. Again, it is said, Rev. xx. 1, 2, "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and satan, and bound him a thousand years." See the whole chapter. In these two passages, we have John's authority for saying, that the great dragon, old serpent, devil, satan, and accuser of the brethren, all mean the same thing. This thing, or being, is also said to deceive "the whole world." It is from these two passages chiefly, that people conclude that the serpent which deceived Eve was a fallen angel, for here, say they, "the devil and satan is called that old serpent, and we know that the devil is a fallen angel." And how do they know all this so clearly and confidently? Their fathers, their catechisms, and their ministers have told them so and this conclusion is drawn too from book so highly figurative, that no man has hitherto been able satisfactorily to explain it. Notwithstanding, this is frankly owned by every candid man, yet from this very book the strongest proofs are generally adduced for a personal devil, and eternal punishment. We would respectfully ask our orthodox brethren, why they allow the book of Revelations to be highly figurative or symbolical, yet give a literal interpretation to the above passages concerning the serpent, devil, and satan? We would affectionately press it on their attention, why they interpret the parts of these passages concerning

the devil and satan literally, and yet would refuse to go through with a literal interpretation of them? I shall give a specimen of the absurdities which such a literal interpretation involves. It must then be believed, that the devil has seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. And it must be believed, that Michael and his angels, had a battle with the devil and his angels, and that it was fought in heaven. Besides, our orthodox friends ought to inform us, how the devil got back to heaven to fight this battle there, seeing they believed he fell from heaven before he tempted Eve. In short, he has been in heaven and fallen from it a number of times, if such principles of Scripture interpretation are admitted. He fell from heaven before Eve's temptation. He fell again when the Seventy were out preaching. And John in the above chapters informs us that he was cast out of heaven to the earth a third time. And if Lucifer be the devil, he has at least had four falls from heaven, for it is said, how art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning.

Is it then asked, what this great dragon, that old serpent, the devil and satan was? Dr. Newton says, vol. iii. 135-139, speaking of this dragon-"We find the kings and people of Egypt, who were the great persecutors of the primitive church of Israel, distinguished by this title in several places of the Old Testament: Psalm lxxiv. 13; Isai. li. 9; Ezek. xxix. 3, and with as much reason and propriety may the people and emperors of Rome, who were the great persecutors of the primitive church of Christ be called by the same name, as they are actuated by the same principle. For that the Roman Empire was here figured, the characters and attributes of the dragon plainly evince." See the pages referred to.

Such are his remarks on the first of these passages.

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On the second he says, "After the destruction of the beast and of the false prophet, there still remains 'the dragon,' who had delegated his power to them, that old serpent, which is the devil and satan:' but he is bound by an angel,' an especial minister of Providence; and the famous millennium commences, or the reign of the saints upon earth for a thousand years, verse 1-6. Binding him with a great chain, casting him into the bottomless pit, shutting him up, and setting a seal upon him,' are strong figures to show the strict and severe restraint which he should be laid under, 'that he might deceive the nations no more,' during the whole period. Wickedness being restrained, the reign of righteousness succeeds, and the administration of justice and judgment is given to the saints of the Most High." p. 205.

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He adds, page 215. "At the expiration of the thousand years, verses 7-10, the restraint shall be taken off from wickedness, and for a little season' as it was said before, verse 3, 'satan shall be loosed out of his prison,' and make one effort more to re-establish his kingdom. As he deceived our first parents in the paradisaical state, so he shall have the artifice to deceive the nations' in this millennial kingdom, to show that no state or condition upon earth is exempted and secured from sinning." I would only add, that it is lust or evil desire" which deceiveth the whole world," and has been the source of its wars and bloodshed, James iv. 1-4. This is the universal deceiver.co

We have now finished our investigation of all the texts in the Bible, where the terms devil and satan are used. Having expressed our own views of the different passages, we leave the candid reader to form his own opinions, and make his own reflections on the subject.

SECTION VIII.

ALL THE TEXTS CONSIDERED, WHERE THE DEVIL IS SUPPOSED TO BE CALLED THE EVIL ONE, THE TEMPTER, THE GREAT DRAGON, THE SERPENT, AND OLD SERPENT, THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD, THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, AND THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.

THESE names, given to the devil, a supposed fallen angel, will require but a brief consideration, for some of them have been introduced in the preceding sections. Indeed, if devil and satan designate no such being in the Bible, it will be allowed by most people, that he is not to be found in the Bible. But we shall not take this for granted. The devil is then

1st. Supposed to be called o' poneros, the evil one, or, the wicked one. This word is rendered in the common version, evil, wicked, wickedness, harm, &c. The sacred writers use it to express evil or wickedness in a variety of ways. Such as evil or unclean'spirits, Matth. xii. 45; Acts xix. 12, 13, 15, 16; Luke vii. 21; viii. 2, and xi. 26. An evil or unclean spirit is the same as an evil or unclean demon, and have no connexion with our present subject. This word is used to express moral evil, Matth. v. 37; 1 Thess. v. 22; 2 Thess. iii. 3; John xvii. 15; Physical evil, Acts xxviii. 21; Rev. xvi. 2; Matth. v. 39. The day of persecution is called the evil day, Eph. vi. 13. The heart of man, from whence all evil proceeds, is called "an evil heart of unbelief," Heb. iii. 12. Out of this source proceed

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