Prop. 5. Those that have the word of God abiding in them overcome the wicked one. Where — (1.) The adversary, ' the wicked one ; ' (2.) The victory, ' have overcome/ as a thing past.
1. The adversary, ' The wicked one.' As God is the holy One, so the devil here and elsewhere is called 'the wicked one ; ' 1 John v. 18, 'The wicked one toucheth him not ; ' Eph. vi. 16, ' That you may be able to
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quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.' Satan is so called, partly because he is wicked in himself; the eldest sinner and the greatest' sinner : 1 John iii. 8, ' The devil sinneth from the beginning/ And partly because his great work and business is to draw and drive others to sin and wickedness ; therefore called the father of sinners : John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do ; ' as Jubal is the father of such as handle the harp and the organ, Gen. iv. 21. All the sins in the world, both actual and original, are by his furtherance. Some sins are singularly diabolical, and such as could not be acted by man in an ordinary course of sinning ; as Judas' treason : John xiii. 2, ' The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray him.' Blasphemous thoughts against God, unnatural sins, self-murder, these he may inject into the hearts of the godly, as the envious man may throw weeds into the garden that do not grow there : but in common sins Satan hath a great hand and strong ; as in David's numbering the people : 1 Chron. xxi. 1, ' And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.' In our wrath and passion we give place to Satan, Eph. iv. 27 ; he omitteth no opportunity of gaining his further interest in the heart : 1 Cor. vii. 5, ' Lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency ; ' 1 Tim. iii. 6, ' Not a novice, lest he be lifted up with pride, and fall into the condemnation of the devil.' And partly because all his tempta- tions tend to sin, and are solicitations to sin. God tempts, and Satan tempteth. God tempteth to discover some notable effect of grace in his servants : Gen. xxii. 1, ' God did tempt Abraham,' not to infuse evil, or solicit to evil, for so ' God tempteth no man ; ' James i. 13, ' Let no man say when he is tempted, he is tempted of God, for God tempteth no man.' God's tempting is always good, and for good ; as a general without any injustice may put the valiantest of his army in the greatest dangers. In the temptation we must distinguish the mere trial and solicitation to sin. Satan's temptings are evil, and for evil, therefore he is called ' the wicked one.'
2. What is the victory ? for the apostle speaketh of it as a thing past, ' Ye have overcome.'
Arts. In these considerations —
1. The devil is an enemy, with whom we cannot make peace, but must fight against him till we overcome. So that here it cometh to a point, either we must perish or conquer. On the devil's part there is great enmity, unwearied activity, and unsatiable cruelty ; and on our part there must be constant resistance and watchfulness. He is still in action, and nothing less will satisfy him but the destruction of souls. None of Christ's soldiers must think of flying or yielding ; not flying. It is very notable that among the pieces of the spiritual armour there is no piece for the back parts, because there is no flight in this warfare, but we must stand it out to the last. No yielding ; for the more way we give to Satan, he tyranniseth the more ; and the more stoutly he is opposed, the more he loseth ground : Mat. xii. 44, 45, when the house is empty, swept, and garnished, and prepared for Satan, then he bringeth worse devils.
2. There is hope of this victory. Whilst we keep up the fight, our striving is a degree of conquest : James iv. 8, ' Resist the devil, and
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he shall flee from you.' Though God suspendeth the victory, yet if he giveth strength and courage to fight, you have overcome. A christian hath offensive and defensive weapons, but Satan only offensive weapons, darts and wiles. A christian hath a sword and shield ; the conquest is begun as long as you stand out against his wiles, Eph. vi. 11, and quench his fiery darts, ver. 16. If he doth not overcome us, and unsettle our love to God, we overcome him.
3. There are great preparations for a victory. The devil is a con- quered adversary : Col. ii. 15, ' And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.' A disarmed enemy : Heb. ii. 14, ' That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.' We do but set upon the relics of a battle already fought with success.