Their Devices.

known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

12.9 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. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations.

13. By what means do apostate angels lead mankind into sin and death?

Gen. 3:13 The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

2 Cor. 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2 Th. 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.

1 Tim. 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

Rev. 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto

Suggestions of-To be resisted.

the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

14. Instructions and suggestions of the adversary.

1. That sinners will escape threatened punishment.

Gen. 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

2. That there is nothing but selfishness in religion.

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

3. That means are useless, where the end is divinely appointed.

Mat. 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4. Forbidding matrimony and the use of meats.

1 Tim. 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

15. Apostate angels to be resisted.

Ep. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye

Cases of Apostacy-End of Apostates.

may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

Jam. 4:7 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith.

16. Cases of apostacy.

APOSTATES.

1 S. 10:6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. 11 And it came to pass when all that knew him beforetime, saw, that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

Hos. 6:4 0 Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

Jn. 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Gal. 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

1 Tim. 1:19 Holding faith and a good conscience; which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck.

2 Tim. 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

17. The end of apostates.

1 Ch. 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and under

Never truly regenerated.

standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he wil cast thee off for ever.

Ezk. 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

33:18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

Lk. 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Heb. 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

2 Pet. 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Je sus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the later end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

18. Were Apostates ever truly regenerated?

Mat. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord

Saints prone to backslide.

have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Mk. 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

Jn. 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

1 Jn. 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. [See Perseverance, 442.]

BACKSLIDING.

19. Saints prone to backslide.

Ex. 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden ear-rings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3 And all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and