the head or monarch, and these, ver. 12, so many inferior orders, as among men there are princes, dukes, earls, &c., under an emperor. That there is an order among the devils, cannot be denied. The Scripture speaks of a 'prince of devils,' Matt, ix., and of the ' devil and his angels,' who with him fell from their first station, called his angels, as it is probably conceived, because one above the rest, as the head of the faction, drew with him multitude.s of others into his party, who with him sinned and fell. But that there should be so many distinct orders among them, as there are several branches in this de- scription, is not probable ; too weak a notion "to be the foundation of a pulpit discovirse, therefore we shall take them as meant of the devils collectively. We v/restle not with flesh and blood, but devils, who are pi-incipalities, powers, &c., and not distributively, to make principalities one rank, powers another ; for some of these branches cannot be meant of distinct orders, but promiscuously of all as spiritual wickedness ; it being not proper to one to be spirits or wicked, but common to all.
First, Then, the devil, or whole pack of them, are here described by their government in this world, ' Principalities.'
Secondly, By their strength and puissance, called ' Powers.'
Thirdly, By their nature, in their substance and degeneracy, ' Spiritual wickedness.'
Fourthly, In their kingdom or proper territories, ' Rulers of the darkness of this world.'
Fifthly, By the ground of the war, ' In heavenly places, or about heavenly things.'
Fii'st, Of the first, 'Principalities;' the abstract for the concrete, that is, such as have a principality; so Titus iii. 1, we are bid to be 'subject to principalities and powers,' that is, princes and rulei's, so the Vulgate reads it. We wrestle against princes ; which some will have to express the eminency of their nature aljove man's, that as the state and spirit of princes is more raised than others, great men have great spirits ; as Zeba and Zalmunna to Gideon, asking who they were they slew at Tabor ; ' As thou art,' say they, ' so were they, each one resembled the children of a king,' that is, for majesty and pre- sence beseeming a princely race. So, they think the eminent nature of angels here to be intended, who are so far above the highest prince, as he above the basest peasant ; but because they are described by their nature in the fourth branch, I shall subscribe to their judgment who take this for the principality of government which the devil exerciseth in this lower world ; and the note shall be,
Docf. That Satan is a great prince ; Chr-ist himself styles him ' the prince of the world,' John xiv. Princes have their thrones where they sit in state ; Satan hath his. Rev. ii. 13, ' Thou dwellest where Satan hath his throne ;' and that such a one as no earthly prince may compare : few kings are enthroned in the hearts of their subjects; they rule their bodies, and command their purses, but how often in a day are they pulled out of their thrones by the wishes of their discontented subjects! But Satan hath the hearts of all his subjects. Princes have their homage and peculiar honour done to them ; Satan is served upon the knee of his subjects ; the wicked is said to ' worship the devil, ' Rev. xiii. 4. No prince expects such worship as he ; no less than religious worship will serve him, 2 Chron. xi. 15. Jeroboam there is said to ordain priests for devils, and therefore he is called not only the prince, but the god of this world, because he hath the worship of a god given him. Princes, such as are absolute, have a legislate power, nay, their own will is their law, as at this day in Turkey, where their laws are wi-it in no other tables than in the proud sultan's breast ; thus Satan gives law to the poor sinner, who is bound, and must obey, though the law be writ with his own blood, and the creature hath nothing but damnation for fulfillino- the devil's lusts ; it is called ' a law of sin,' Rom. viii. 2 ; because it comes with authority. Princes have their ministers of state, whom they employ for the safety and enlargement of their territories : so Satan his, 2 Cor. xi. 15, who propagate his cursed designs ; therefoi'e we read of ' doctrine of devils.' Princes have their arcana imperii, which none know but a few favourites in whom they confide ; thus the devil hath his mysteries of iniquity,
AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES. gj