turn upon his own head. By malice, Satan brought Christ to his cross; and on that cross Christ spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over Satan. (Col. ii. 15) He swallowed the bait of his humanity, and was caught by the hook of his divinity. 2. Per viam potentiæ,' in a way of war and combat; being stronger than the strong man, he overcomes him, takes from him his armour, divides the spoils, (Luke xi. 21, 22) makes his people set their feet upon the neck of Satan; as Joshua did call the captains of Israel, to tread on the necks of the kings of Canaan. (Josh. x. 24) He vanquished him in a single combat of temptation himself, so that Satan was fain to leave the field; (Matth. iv. 11) and he vanquished him in his war against the church, so that he and his angels are cast out. (Rev. xii. 9) 3. Per viam judicii,' in a way of juridical process. He bringeth Satan to his tribunal, as a Prince of Peace, as Judge of the World; makes him accountable for all his temptations, for all his persecutions, for all his usurpations and tyrannies, over the souls of men; pronounceth judgement upon him, and casts him out, and casts out all his accusations against the brethren. (John xii. 31, and xvi. 11. Rev. xii. 10)

This is a ground of great comfort,-though Christ suffer Satan to tempt and to oppugn his church, to put out his venom, and power, and policy against it, yet he will still be a wall of fire round about it. If Satan go to and fro to devour, (Job i. 7) Christ hath his angels going to and fro to protect. (Zech. i. 11) If Satan have four horns to scatter the church, Christ hath as many carpenters to fray them away. (Zech. i. 18, 19, 21) Whatever poison there is in Satan, there is an antidote in Christ against it. He a destroyer, Christ a Saviour; he a tempter, Christ a Comforter; he an enemy, Christ a Captain; he an accuser, Christ an Advocate; he a prince, and god of this world; Christ a King of Saints, and Lord of Glory. Three names Satan hath given him from his three most active principles: a Serpent,' for his cunning; (Gen. iii. 1) a ‘Lion,' for his strength; (1 Pet. v. 8) and a Dragon,' for his malice. (Rev. xx. 2) And Christ hath a name which meets with every one of these: a 'Counsellor,' no subtilty of the serpent can deceive him:

5 Τεύχεα τ' ἐξενάριζε, καὶ τὰ μὲν αὐτὸς ἔπειτα ἐφόρει.—Homer. ix. 6.

z Isai.

a 'Mighty God,' no strength of the lion can overcome him: an' Everlasting Father,' no malice of the dragon can outact him; and he is wonderful' in all these, ordering and improving his wisdom, his power, and his love, unto the peace of his people, against whom Satan warreth.

II. And further we may here note, that when Satan accuseth, Joshua doth not stand upon his defence, nor plead his own cause; but he answers by his counsel, his advocate pleads for him. When we are tempted and assaulted by Satan, we must put off our adversary to Christ. If we go against him in our own strength, he will certainly be too hard for us. Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Satan; he doth not buffet Satan again, but cries to the Lord to help him. (2 Cor. xii. 7, 8) No name to oppose to the accusations and fiery darts of Satan, but the name of Christ. We know not what to do against principalities and powers, but our eyes are upon him. Satan brings in his charge to condemn. What is the answer? Christ died, Christ is risen, Christ is at the right hand of God, Christ is our advocate with the Father; Christ hath a plenitude and sufficiency of grace; Christ can save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him; Christ is stronger than the strong man; Christ hath exceeding abundant grace to save the chief of sinners; Christ ascended up on high, and gave gifts unto men, even unto the rebellious. d If God will not hear the blood of his Son, if Christ will not hear the cry of his servant, if Satan can outbawl the intercession of Christ, if Satan can pluck Christ from the right hand of his Father, or can pluck away the compassions of Christ out of his bowels;-then, never till then, shall penitent sinners that trust him with their souls and salvation, be cast in their suit, and put to shame. We see by what weapons Satan is to be overcome; not by human counsel or power, but by the increpation of God, and by the intercession of Christ. He only is able to succour those that are tempted. (Heb. ii. 18) In his name alone, we must go out against this Goliath. Though Satan be trod down under our feet, yet it is the Lord alone that doth tread him down. (Rom. xvi. 20) Stand before him, appeal to him, implore his rebuke, and you are safe.

a Rom. viii. 33.

• 1 John ii. 1.

d 2 Cor. xii. 9. Heb. vii. 25.

Luke xi. 21. 1 Tim. i. 14. Psalm lxviii. 18.

One thing more the apostle Jude teacheth us from this 'Increpet,'" Not to despise dominion, not to speak evil of dignities," since Michael the arch-angel, contending with the devil, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke thee.' (Jude viii. 9) This as it is severely forbidden by God, "Thou shalt not revile the Gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people;" (Exod. xxii. 28) so is it noted by the apostle as an evidence of walking after the flesh, of uncleanness, presumption, self-willedness, to despise government, and not to be afraid to speak evil of dignities. (2 Pet. ii. 10, 11) How careful were the apostles, in their days, to caution Christians against this sin! "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation; ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience-sake." (Rom. xiii. 1, 2, 5) "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates." (Tit. iii. 1) Inculcate it upon them, they are apt enough through pride and arrogance to forget it," Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, to kings, to governors; use not your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (1 Pet. ii. 13, 16) And yet the princes in whose time they wrote, were monsters of men for wickedness. Christian religion doth ratify and bear up,-it doth not despise or destroy, magistracy; but owneth it to be of God, as his ordinance and institution," By whom kings reign ;" who putteth his name, and an impress of sacred authority upon them, (Prov. viii. 15. Psalm lxxxii. 6) and setteth them as his ministers, to be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and fathers to the poor, and sanctuaries to the afflicted. Great therefore the wickedness of those that despise them; horrid and execrable the enterprises of those, which would blow them up, and destroy them. If Korah, or Sheba, or Absalom, or Zimri had peace, such as these may look for it too: but Solomon assures us of these men, that "their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them?" (Prov. xxiv. 22)

e

Lastly, From the double increpation we may draw, 1. Matter of caution, not to think ourselves secure, at any time, against the assaults of Satan. He is like the flies, of

Job xxix. 15.

which he hath his name, impudent, and importunate. When he is beaten off once, he will come on again; when he hath been foiled and rebuked once, he will venture a second increpation there is no truce to be held with him: when he was infinitely overmatched, yet he departed from Christ but "for a season." (Luke iv. 13)

2. Matter of comfort, That we should not despond under the assaults of Satan. When he multiplies temptations, Christ will multiply increpations; he will deliver a second time; (Isai. xi. 11) in six and in seven troubles; (Job v. 19) from the terror by night, and the arrow by day. (Psalm xci. 5) Christ is never less active and vigilant to help, than Satan is to hurt the church, If where sin abounds, grace doth superabound, and God doth multiply to pardon; (Rom, v. 20. Isai.ly. 7) much more when the rage of Satan abounds, succour shall superabound, and God will multiply to rebuke.

Repetitions and ingeminations in scripture, note 1. Certainty; as the dream of Pharaoh was doubled, because of God's fixed purpose concerning it. (Gen. xli. 32) Satan, in all his oppositions against the building of God's house, shall certainly be disappointed. 2. Constancy; "Thou shalt follow justice, justice," (Deut. xvi. 20) thou shalt never give over following it. The Lord will, constantly and perpetually, rebuke Satan in all his assaults against Joshua and his fellows. 3. Vehemency and ardency of affection; it intends the sense, and makes it superlative. "O earth, earth, earth," a pathetical excitation! (Jer. xxii. 29) "Holy, holy, holy" an ardent expression of the infinite holiness of God. (Isai. vi. 3) The Lord will vehemently, and with much zeal and earnestness, rebuke Satan in his hostility against the church. 4. Consummation and completing of what is gone about, "I will overturn, overturn, overturn." (Ezek. xxi. 27) When I begin, I will make an end. God will never give over rebuking and opposing Satan, till he hath wholly subdued him, and brought him under Christ and his people's feet.

And since Christ doth thus certainly, constantly, earnestly, completely rebuke him, let us keep our ground, oppose him with treble and unwearied prayers; (2 Cor. xii. 8) resist him with steadfastness in the faith, (1 Pet. v. 9) with patient continuance in well doing. (Rom. ii. 7) Let us stand, and

stand, and stand; pray with all prayer, pray with all perseverance in prayer in this spiritual combat. (Eph. vi. 11, 13, 14, 18) Christ rebukes and rebukes again; let us resist and resist again.

There remains only the double foundation of this victory; 1. God's gracious election; the Lord which hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee.' The doctrine of adoption by free grace is the strongest weapon that we can wield against the malice of Satan. "Thou art my God from my mother's belly;" and therefore since bulls, and dogs, and lions do compass, and beset, and gape, and roar upon me, "do thou deliver and save me; be not thou far from me.” (Psalm xxii. 10, 13, 20, 21) God will admit no charge against his elect. (Rom. viii. 33, 35) If I were to be saved by merits of my own, want of merit would condemn me: but where all is of grace and free gift, no guilt can condemn him who hath the righteousness of another, freely bestowed upon him. It is five times together called "the gift, the free gift, the gift of righteousness." (Rom. v. 15, 16, 17) O thanks be unto God, thanks for ever be unto God, for his unspeakable gifts, the gift of the righteousness of Christ bestowed upon us.

2. The next foundation of this victory, is Joshua's past deliverance; "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire ?" Whence we learn,

:

1. That past mercies are pledges of more. The work of God is perfect, especially his work of mercy. (Deut. xxxii. 4) If he snatch out of the fire, he will bring unto his temple: if he lay a foundation, he will bring forth the headstone. (Zech. iv. 9) He will perfect that which he hath wrought if he begin a good work, he will finish it. (Psalm cxxxviii. 8. Phil. i. 6) He who will not have us be weary of well-doing, will not be weary of well-doing himself. “His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon those that fear him." (Psalm ciii. 17) Satan can no more hinder the continuance of it unto eternity, than he can cause it not to have been from eternity.

2. No condition is so sad or desperate, out of which the Lord cannot rescue his people. He carries them through the fire; (Zech. xiii. 9) he preserves them in the fire; (Dan. iii. 25, 27) he brings them through fire and water into a wealthy place. (Psalm lxvi. 12) And this he doth suddenly,