[5.] The difficulty of casting off the sovereignty of Satan, lietl; partly in ourselves and partly in the devil.
Partly in ourselves. As in the Israelites going out of Egypt, the difficulty lay, not only in gaining the consent of Pharaoh, for he pur- sues after them when they were gone, but also in persuading the people to give their consent — it was long ere Israel desired to be gone — so in our natural condition, the mind of man is so depraved that he thinks his bondage to be his freedom, and that there is no such merry life as to wallow in carnal satisfactions ; and our affections are so far engaged to this sinful estate, that we dote upon our shackles, and are unwilling to hear of a change. The first step of coming out of this kingdom of darkness is when we find it to be a heavy burthen, and grow weary of the devil's government, though it be but out of a prin- ciple of self-love, Isa. xxvi. 13: '0 Lord, other lords besides thee
102 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 10.
have had dominion over us ; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.' Yea, but as soon as we begin to have any serious thoughts of that miserable state in which we are, Satan interposeth, dealing with us as Pharaoh did with the Israelites. The Israelites complain their bondage was very sore ; what doth Pharaoh ? He doubles the burthen : Exod. v. 17, ' You are idle/ &c. ; — so that out of bondage of soul they would not hearken to Moses. Just so Satan deals with us. When souls begin to be serious, and to leave off fleshly and worldly lusts, and to give up themselves to God that they may be directed in the way of holiness and obtain eternal life, then he doubles our burthens. Corruptions are never more stirring than after some conviction : Eom. vii. 9, ' When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died ;' not only as to a deeper sense of the guilt of it, but as to its struggling for life. The bullock at the first yoldng is most unruly; so we which are unaccustomed to the yoke, when we begin once to take it upon us, there is a mighty backwardness. Fire at first kindling makes abundance of smoke ; so when conviction is stirring, corruption is more exasperated. The devil is very jealous of the first beam of light which breaks into the heart, and of every ordinance which con- veys it ; therefore sets corruptions at work, that it may appear to be a vain hope of ever escaping his clutches : so men are tired and give over, and think it is to no purpose. But if light increases to more trouble, the devil seeks to elude the importunity of it by delay ; as Pharaoh put off Moses and Aaron still by delay : or else by compromising and compounding the business ; as Pharaoh, when he saw the people would go, God would have them go, then they shall not go far : Exod. viii. 28. So if men will be thinking of Christ's service, and coming under his government, they shall go, but not far ; they shall come and pray, and come and hear now and then, and make a general profession, but not too far in Christ's quarters ; he is afraid of that. Just as Pharaoh stood bucking still ; they must go a good way into the wilderness, otherwise it should be an abomination to the Egyptians, yet their little ones must stay. If people will not only hear and pray, but begin to reform and cleanse their lives, yet he must have a pledge, some lust, as a nest-egg, left in the heart, some darling sin that must keep up the devil's empire. Then they must leave their herds, then leave their flocks ; no, not a hoof Ah ! how long is it, when we are under this j)Ower of darkness, ere we are free, and get rid of the government of Satan !
[6.] We can never be sure that Satan is wholly cast out until Christ be seriously received and entertained as Lord and King, until he dwell and rule in the heart by faith. Alas ! there may be some brabble now and then between us and our sins, and some partial dislikes ; but until you heartily consent to take another king, that you will be governed and ordered by, you are not his subjects, but remain in the same state : John i. 12, ' As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' We are children of the devil before, under his standard and government ; but when we receive him, then we are under another king, another power : when we receive what God offered, receive Christ as Lord and King, when the whole soul opens the door to Christ, that
Mat. VI. 10.] the lord's prayer. 103
the King of glory may come in, and dwell with us, and reign over us, then is his kingdom set up. The first offer of the gospel is Christ as Prince and Saviour : Acts v. 31. And the main thing the business sticks at is Christ's regal power : Luke xix. 14, ' We will not have this man to reign over us.' Now, when we receive him with all our hearts, and though before we had but mean thoughts of him, now he begins to be welcome to us, and with the dearest embraces of our souls we entertain him ; and with a willing resignation we give up ourselves, not only by a consent of dependence, to rest upon him for reconciliation with God, but by a willing subjection to obey him, and give up the keys of the heart, and lay them at Christ's feet : as Paul, Acts ix. 16, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' When you desire nothing more but that his kingdom might come, the King of glory himself, than that he might bring righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ; until then you are not entered into his kingdom.