Satan Casting Out Satan

*’ Lusts are contrary ojie to another, and therefore jostle for the throjie, a7id usually take it by turns. As otir ancestors scfit for the Saxons to drive out the Pzcts, so do carnal men drive ottt one Inst by a7tother, and, like the lunatic in the Gospel (Matt, xvii.) fall sometimes i?ito the water, and sometimes into the fire. Of what use then can reforms be which are wrought by an evil agency. If sobriety be the fruit of pride, it grows upon a pernicious root, and though the body be no longer intoxicated, the mind will be drunken. If revenge be forsworn from considerations of avarice, the meanness of the miserly is a small gain upon the fury of the passionate. If outward irreligion be abandoned out of a desire to gain human applause, the Pharisee will be a very slender improvement upon the prodigal. Satan’s casting out of Satan is deceitful work: his intent no doubt is to establish his empire by pretending to overthrow it.

No, there must be another power at work, or little is accomplished. Any fancied good which one devil may bring another is sure to take away, and the last end of the man whom Satan mends is always worse than the first. A stronger than he must enter in by force of grace, and hurl him out by divine force, and take full possession, or the man may be another man but not a new man.

Lord Jesus, cast out all the devils from my soul at once and never permit one of them to return.