The Powers of Darkness Delivered Over in the Covenant

Tue powers of darkness are delivered over in the covenant; Satan and all his instruments. We are naturally in bondage to Satan, held “captive by him at his will,’ 2 Tim. ii. 26. His prisoners, his slaves, his vassals. By the blood of the covenant, the Lord hath brought forth his prisoners, and redeemed his captives, Zech. ix. 11. and also hath spoiled principalities and powers, and led captivity captive. In this covenant there is deliverance of the prisoners, ané a delivery over of them by whom they were

held; a jail-delivery, and a delivery of the jailers too, into their hands; and they are delivered over bound, the god- of this world in chains, limited, spoiled, banished, and cast out. ‘The gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” Matt. xvi. 18. The gates of cities were anciently their special strength, and.in them were their great councils held, for the contrivying and managing of all their concernments. By hell understand the whole infernal corporation, all that belong to that dark region, Satan and all his instruments, the dragon with his armies, the serpent and all his seed. By the gates of hell understand the power and policy, the combination and counsels of Satan and his whole party. These gates of hell shall not prevail against it, that is, against the church; neither against head, nor any member of it; they shall not prevail, that notes two things. |. I, They shall fight against it; they are all combined and listed against the church, making a war upon it. Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof. Down with it, root and branch, let it not have a being, let it not. have so much as a name under heaven. Particular quarrels there may be betwixt devil and devil; Herod against Pilate, and Pilate against Herod; yet the tails of these smoking fire-brands are united against the Lord and his anointed ones; against their profession, against their religion, against the soul of every saint. Whatever vails or specious pretences they varnish their quarrel with, this is it that lies at the bottom of all their counsels and machinations, - wherein all their aims are concentred, to root out godliness, and the professors of it, out of the earth; w deceive and destroy souls for ever, a2

II. Though they shall fight against. them, yet they shall not overcome, They shall not prevail against it; that is, not finally, in the end the victory shall be the saints;; Jerusalem shall be ‘a burdensome stone to all.people,” Zech. xii. 3.

1. Such a stone that they shall not be able to lift, or move it out of its place; it shall stand as a rock, against which the impetuous waves may dash themselves, but they cannot move it.

2. They shall not be able to bear it. It shall crush those who burden themselves with it; those who shake the church are pulling a house about their ears, a rock upon their loins; it shall break the backs of all those who contend against it; they shall be cut in pieces (saith the text) that burden themselves with it; though all the earth, yea, and hell too, be gathered together against it. It is a vair. design that Satan and his partakers are driving on. ‘“« Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” Psa. ii. 1. It is a vain design, and it is a fatal design to themselves: ‘‘ Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

In the first dawning of this glorious day-light, it is promised that the Seed of the woman shall break the serpent’s head. “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel,” Gen. iii. 15. ‘* Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out,” John xii. 31, Cast out, whence? Why, cast out of his kingdom, out of his hold, cast down from his throne and dominion. His prison is broken, and now the prey is taken from the strong, the captives of the mighty are taken away.

But how was this now done, at the death of Christ, to which these words refer? Doth not Satan still reign? Is he not still the god of this world, and the prince of the power of the air? Yea, what hold hath he yet of the saints that are in the earth! What a tyrant is he to them! how doth he entangle and ensnare them! what havoc doth he make in their conscience! lording it over them, leading them captives by lusts and temptations; what a strong party hath he still within them, bearing arms against their Lord, fighting against their souls! What sad spoil doth he make upon their grace, upon their peace!

- they cannot rest for him day nor night, abroad nor at home, alone nor in company; he is ever following them; whithersoever they go, the devil is at their backs; they cannot pray, nor read, nor spend a thought, nor cast a look, nor despatch a sigh to- wards the Lord, but Satan stands by to resist, and hinder them.. What a yoke hath he still upon their neck! what clogs and weights hath he still upon their loins! how do they mourn in their souls whilst he vexes them from day to day! how do they groan, and travail in pain, sighing in taemselves, and waiting for their redemption! How is it then said, New is he cast out? Why, now he hath received his judgment? “The prince of this world is judged,” John xvi. Now is the fatal blow given, now is the

serpent’s head broken, though he still may bruise -and hang on the saints. The blow he levelled at - our Lord hath rebounded on his own head. Though he be as Gad, a serpent in the way, yet you may

now tread upon this serpent, and it shall not hurt you. The strong man is now bound; if he be a god still, he is a god in chains, a prince in fetters; he must ask leave of your Father ere he can touch one

a3 hair of your heads. He cannot tempt you, nor cast a bank against you, nor shoot an arrow at you, without a commission from Heaven. The devils are subject to you. He is cast out, and in your Lord’s name you may cast him out. “In my name shall ye - east out devils;” out of possessed bodies, out of possessed souls; you may be instruments to bring many a soul to repentance, that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil, who are held captive by him at his will. Every sinner that is converted by you, you have cast out a devil out - of that soul. -

Though he be an adversary still, yet such an adversary as may be resisted; “‘ Whom resist stedfast in the faith,” 1 Pet. v. 9. And if you will resist, he shall flee from you, James iv. 7. Stand, and your enemy runs.

Nay, more; he is not only a conquered enemy, but made your servant. This viper shall yield you medicine against his own poison. His smitings shall be an excellent oil; his messengers he sends zo buffet you, his thorns he sticks in your flesh, shall be a prevention of greater evils. The very destruction he intends to bring upon you shall promote —

your salvation. ‘ Deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be

saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,” 1 Cor. v. 5..

Behold, the devil is the church’s servant, and such a servant as in their present state they cannot well

want. The execution of their censures. A commonwealth may as well want a jailer, or a hangman, as the church a devil. Behold Satan divided “against Satan; the devil without, against the devil within; the destroyer of souls become the destroyer of sin. “Deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” Though much against his mind, his hand is against his own party. He is

made to kill his own friends, which otherwise would

kill the soul. Whether he will or not, the very tormentor is made a saviour; “that the spirit may be

saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Christians, as much as you feel of the devil’s malice, you could ill want his service; there is many a soul lost and un- — done by a sleeping, that might have been recovered and roused by a raging devil. His winds shall blow

off your chaff, his floods shall wash away your filth,

his earthquakes shall open your prison-doors, his

tempests shall drive you to harbour. Some men want a tempest to save them from a wreck.

Nay, once more; he is not low enough yet; he shall be yet brought lower. You have assurance of his

- total and final overthrow. ‘‘ The God of peace shall

bruise Satan under your feet shortly,” Rom. xvi. 20.

The devil shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,” Rev. xx. 10. It is but a little while,

and when he hath done his work he shall be sent

‘to his place, where he shall be shut up, and a seal

set upon him; whence he shall come out no more for ever. He shall tempt no more, vex no more, deceive no more, destroy no more, torment you no more; he shall be thrust out, he shall be chained

. up; the tormentor shall be tormented day and night

for ever and ever. Stand, christians, stand your ground a little while; follow your work, hold up your holy profession, hold

on your holy course; keep your hearts, keep your

garments, keep on your armour, keep under corruption, resist temptation, bear your affliction; hold out

faith and patience, fight again your adversaries, watch with your Lord this one hour, and behold, he

SOx DEATH IN THE COVENANT.

that shall come, will come; he cometh quickly, and he that is in the world shall be consumed with. the breath of his mouth, and destroyed with the brightness of his appearing. He shall be cast out, he shall be cast down, and rise no more for ever.