of Satan’s malice.  There is a divine precept enjoining the practice of such duty:  Heb. xiii. 3, ’Remember them that suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.’  Let us, then, be deeply sensible, and, as the elect of God, put on bowels of mercy towards those in misery (Col. iii. 12).  Oh, pity, pity them! for the hand of the Lord hath touched them, and the malice of devils hath fallen upon them.

“Let us be sure to take unto us and put on the whole armor of God, and every piece of it; let none be wanting.  Let us labor to be in the exercise and practice of the whole company of sanctifying graces and religious duties.  This important duty is pressed, and the particular pieces of that armor recited Eph. vi. 11 and 13 to 18.  Satan is representing his infernal forces; and the devils seem to come armed, mustering amongst us.  I am this day commanded to call and cry an alarm unto you:  ARM, ARM, ARM! handle your arms, see that you are fixed and in a readiness, as faithful soldiers under the Captain of our salvation, that, by the shield of faith, ye and we all may resist the fiery darts of the wicked; and may be faithful unto death in our spiritual warfare; so shall we assuredly receive the crown of life (Rev. ii. 10).  Let us admit no parley, give no quarter:  let none of Satan’s forces or furies be more vigilant to hurt us than we are to resist and repress them, in the name, and by the spirit, grace, and strength of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us ply the throne of grace, in the name and merit of our Blessed Mediator, taking all possible opportunities, public, private, and secret, to pour out our supplications to the God of our salvation.  Prayer is the most proper and potent antidote against the old Serpent’s venomous operations.  When legions of devils do come down among us, multitudes of prayers should go up to God.  Satan, the worst of all our enemies, is called in Scripture a dragon, to note his malice; a serpent, to note his subtilty; a lion, to note his strength.  But none of all these can stand before prayer.  The most inveterate malice (as that of Haman) sinks under the prayer of Esther (chap. iv. 16).  The deepest policy (the counsel of Achitophel) withers before the prayer of David (2 Sam. xv. 31); and the vastest army (an host of a thousand thousand Ethiopians) ran away, like so many cowards, before the prayer of Asa (2 Chron. xiv. 9 to 15).

     “What therefore I say unto one I say unto all, in this
     important case, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.

“To our honored magistrates, here present this day, to inquire into these things, give me leave, much honored, to offer one word to your consideration.  Do all that in you lies to check and rebuke Satan; endeavoring, by all ways and means that are according to the rule of God, to discover his instruments in these horrid operations.  You are concerned in the civil government of this people, being invested with power by their Sacred Majesties, under this glorious