[2.] There is the work of the devil within us ; this is destroyed also.
54 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR, XIII.
But here again we must distioguisli between the purchase and the ap- plication.
(1.) The purchase was made when Christ died ; for, Heb. ii. 14, ' By death he destroyed him that had the power of death ; ' and Col. ii. 15, * He spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them on his cross.' Christ's death is Satan's overthrow ; then was the deadly blow given to his power and kingdom. When the Jews and Eoman soldiers were spoiling him and parting his garments, then was he spoiling princi- palities and powers ; in that very hour, which was the power of dark- ness, was Christ making a show of Satan openly, and leading captivity captive. When they were insulting over the Son of God, then was he triumphing over all the devils in hell, and overcame them by suffering himself visibly to be overcome by them. Well, then, here is the ground of our faith, the death of Christ, which we remember in the sacrament ; this was the price given for our ransom, and the means of disannulling all the power which Satan had in us before.
(2.) The application is begun in our conversion, and afterwards carried on by degrees. All those who are converted and receive the gospel are said to be turned from Satan to God, Acts xxvi. 18. Then are they, from the children of the devil, made the children of God, and adopted into his family, and delivered from the dominion of sin into the glorious liberties that belong to God's children. And therefore those to whom God giveth repentance are said, 2 Tim. ii. 26, to be recovered out of the snare of the devil, by whom they were taken captive formerly at his will and pleasure. Before they were his slaves and drudges, drove on furiously, were at the beck of every lust ; but then they recover themselves, as made free by Christ.
6. There is in sin, which is the work of the devil, three things — (I.) The guilt of it ; (2.) The power of it ; (3.) The being of it. All these Christ came to dissolve, but by several means and at several times.
[1.] The guilt of it ; that is done away by justification. Guilt is an obligation to punishment. Now this is one effect of Satan's malice, to involve us in the same ruin and condemnation into which he hath plunged himself ; he is held in chains of darkness, 2 Peter ii. 4 ; by which is meant, not only the powerful restraints of providence, but the horror of his own despairing fears. If the restraints of providence had only been intended, it had been enough to have said they are held in chains ; but these are chains of darkness, and therefore it implieth not only God's irresistible power restraining them, but his terrible justice tormenting them ; so that, go where they will, they carry their own hell about with them, in the constant feeling of the wrath of the Almighty, and the dreadful expectation of more wrath. This is the case of the devils ; and do not they seek to bring us into the same condition ? Yes, certainly they do; what mean else Satan's 'fiery darts?' Eph. vi. 16, by which is meant, not only raging lusts, but tormenting fears. And certainly, as the devil hath the power of death, so he keepeth men under the fear of it and the consequents of it all their days, Heb. ii. 14, 15. He bringeth his slaves and poor deluded souls into sin, that he may bring them into terror, and oppress them by their own guilty fears. He maketh use of conscience to stir them up, but he joineth with them
YeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN I[I. 55
horrors of conscience, and increaseth their violence. The devil is first a tempter, that he may be afterwards an accuser and a tormentor. He is called our ' adversary,' 1 Peter v. 8. The word signifieth an adversary or enemy at law. He pleadeth law and equity of his side, and by law would carry the cause against all that come of Adam, for they are all law-breakers ; and if Christ had not freed us from the curse of the law, what would j'ou answer ? Again, when he is termed an accuser, Rev. xii., it doth not signify a whisperer or slanderer out of malice, but a pleader as an attorney or accuser bylaw. There is none upon earth but yieldeth matter enough to fill up his accusations ; he needeth not come with slanders. Now wicked men, who are his slaves, are either stupified or terrified by him, or both. If they be stupified, they are more terrified afterwards ; at best they are always at the beck and mercy of a cruel master, who can soon revive their hidden fears ; and if they be not under actual horrors, they dare not be serious, nor call themselves to an account, nor entertain any sober thoughts of death, and judgment, and wrath to come. Yea, Satan hath a great hand in the troubles of conscience which befall God's children ; they have many a sad hour of darkness when God lets loose the tempter upon them, and many heavy damps of spirit doth the accuser bring upon them now. Well, then, this is a part of the works of the devil, those fears of death and damnation which dog sin at the heels. These Christ came to dissolve, and by death to deliver us from the fear of death : ' He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,' 2 Cor. v. 21. A believer may triumph over his accu.ser, and draw water out of the wells of salvation with joy : Rom. viii. 33, 34, ' Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth ; who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, and maketh interces- sion for us.' By his death he hath satisfied God's justice, and at his resurrection he had his discharge. By his intercession he pleadeth it in court. Who shall condemn? Our advocate is more powerful in court than our accuser ; he doth not only sue out our pardon by entreaty, but by merit : Dan. ix. 24, ' He shall make an end of sins, and make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in an everlasting righteousness.' This is to destroy the works of the devil indeed. He shall stay the im- putation of sin, working the reconciliation of sinful man to God, estab- lishing an unchangeable rule of our justification by the Lord our right- eou.sness. Surely all accusation is fruitless when we have such an advocate as he is. We are sinners ; but if he will spread the skirt of liis righteousness over us, 'and appear before God for us' Heb. ix. 24, why should we fear ?