[3.] Who is overcome ? The devil : Kev. xii. 10, ' Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night;' ver. 11, ' And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony ; and they loved not their lives unto the death ; ' ver. 12, ' Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them : woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea ; for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.' O chris- tians ! what will raise your hearts in thanksgiving to God, if not these three arguments which I have plainly mentioned to you ? for the matter needeth no descants. The incarnation of the Son of God, who came as the seed of the woman, that he might free mankind from the power the devil had over them by sin. Then the merit and satisfaction of our Saviour, for he was bruised in his heel. And then the dissolu- tion of Satan's power, and the freeing of mankind out of his hands, either as a tempter or a tormentor.
[4.] The effects of the victory when it is applied to us. I shall mention three —
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(1.) Our conversion to God, and the destruction of sin in our hearts, or our actual deliverance from Satan: Luke xi. 21, 22, 'When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace ; but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.' This was our case ; all was in a sinful quiet and peace. When wind and tide go together, no wonder if their he a calm. Satan's suggestions and our corruptions suited the one with the other. But blessed be God that this carnal security is disturbed, that the kingdom of God is come upon us ; that Christ, by a sacred rescue, hath dispossessed Satan, and destroyed sin. Oh ! let us ' give thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son,' Col. i. 12, 13.
(2.) Kemission of sins: Acts xxvi. 18, ' To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified, by faith that is in me ; ' Col. i. 13, 14, * Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.' Christ's subjects have the privileges of his kingdom. Now ' bless the Lord, 0 my soul ; and all that is within me, bless his holy name : bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits ; who pardoneth all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases,' Ps. ciii. 1-3.
(3.) Our own personal victory over Satan's temptations. In part now. We renew that covenant now, wherein we engaged to tight against Satan : 1 John ii. 14, ' I have written unto you young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' Fully hereafter : Rom. xvi. 20, ' The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.' The God of peace, as pacified in Christ. Now this is matter of thanksgiving : 1 Cor. XV. 57, ' Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ; ' that Christ will take us along with him in his triumphant chariot, and help our weak faith and faint hope, and that we may conquer the tempter and accuser.
IV. Though Christ's heel was bruised in the conflict, yet it endeth in Satans final overthrow ; for his head was crushed, which noteth the subversion of his power and kingdom.
To explain this, we must consider — (1.) What is the power of Satan ; (2.) How far Satan was destroyed by Christ.
First, What is the power of Satan ? It lieth in sin. And Christ destroyed him, as he ' made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness, and made reconciliation for iniquities,' Dan. ix. 24 ; namely, as he reconciled man to God, and restored God's image and life eternal. In short, the power of Satan may be considered either as to single persons, or his interest iti the corrupt world, or the sinful race of apostate Adam, who in their degenerate estate make up a confederacy or party, that may be called the kingdom of the devil.
1. As to single and individual persons ; all his power over them is by reason of sin, which was introduced by his subtlety and malice.
There are three things in sin — the power, the guiU, the being.