to be the Son of God by his refurrection from the dead.' Well, do the dragon and his angels what they can, yet Chrift is rifen again, and hath fpoiled principalities and powers; yea, all the infernal army, and hath made a fhew of them openly, and hath led them all in triumph upon his crofs: fo that we fee in this first and greatest battle, the devil hath the foil. And it is further faid, that this devil and his angels were

caft out of heaven, and their place was "no more found:' which is not to be understood of their first cafting out of heaven immediately after their creation; for at that time they were not devils, nor enemies to the church, but angels of light; but now fince their fall, and fince they were devils, they are faid to be caft out of heaven, not because they ever came into heaven fince they were devils, but because they can no longer impeach the church touching her bleffed state in heaven. They are without all hope to difpoffefs her of her inheritance; for that is ratified and made fure unto her in the death and refurrection of Chrift. And for this cause it is faid, that the devil hath no more to do in heaven; that is, he cannot for his heart overthrow the falvation of God's children. For who can lay any thing to the charge of God's chofen? It is God that juftifieth, who fhall con

• demn? It is Chrift which is dead, yea, or rather, which is rifen again,' &c. Rom. viii. 33. True it is indeed, that this battle is faid to be in heaven, that is, about heavenly things; yea, about the highest points of heaven, which is falvation or damnation: for the devil upon this very point hath from the beginning mightily wrestled and ftruggled with the church, and even until this day: but bleffed be God that he cannot, nor fhall not prevail against any one of God's elect. For our Lord Jefus faith, "I * give unto them eternal life, and they shall ' never perish, neither fhall any take them ⚫ out of my hand: my Father which gave 'them me is greater than all.

Neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand. Again, all that the Father giveth me shall come unto me. And this is the Father's ' will which hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me I fhould lofe nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.' John x. 28.

Now further we are to observe, that as Chrift in his own perfon hath once prevailed in the main battle against the devil, fo his church militant fhall likewise always prevail through him: for it is written, the 'gates of hell fhall not prevail against it.' Mat. xvi. 18.

"And the great dragon, that old ferpent

• called the devil and Satan was caft out, which deceived all the world: he was even caft into the earth, and his angels were caft out with him.' Rev. xi. 9.

Now, because the devil cannot overthrow the falvation of God's elect, he is faid to 'be caft out of heaven into the earth:' that is, amongst earthly and carnal men, that he may exercife his tyranny, and wreak his malice upon them. For he hath power given him to tyrrannize over them at his pleasure, and the apostle faith, he worketh in the children of difobedience, and taketh 'them captive to do his will.' Ephef. ii. 2.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, faying, now is falvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Chrift, for the accufer of our brethren is caft down, which accufed them 'before God day and night.' Rev. xi. 10.

Here is the triumphant fong of victory, which all the faints and angels do fing unto God, praifing and magnifying his power, and the power of his Son Chrift, for overcoming the dragon, and giving the victory to the church through Chrift. For now with great joy and loud voices they fing and fay, that the church's falvation is fealed and made fure unto her for ever.

It can never be fhaken. The devil is foiled and caft down into the earth.

Thefe fongs of joy after great victories are of great antiquity in the church: as we read of the children of Ifrael after the overthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red fea; of Deborah, after the great victory over Sifera; of the women that fung after the victory over Goliah by David.

The devil is called the accufer of the brethren for two causes: First, Because he accufeth God's elect of much fin, and calleth for justice against them day and night at God's hand, that they might be condemned upon fuch articles as he is able to prove against them: for he knowing right well that the Judge of all the world is a juft God, and muft needs deal uprightly, doth daily urge him to do juftice unto finners, being willingly ignorant that all God's people, though finners, are cleared and discharged in Chrift.

Another reafon is, because of the calumniations, reproaches and flanders which in all ages, at all times, and in all places and countries he hath always unjustly raised up against the true worshippers of God.

But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.' Rev. xi. 11.

Here is fhewed, that the church's victory over Satan and hell is not through any

power or might of her own, but by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of the teftimony; that is, the word of God, which they witness, profefs, love, and adhere to

even unto death.

'Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye 'that dwell in them; wo to the inhabitants ' of the earth, and of the fea; for the devil 'is come down unto you which hath great wrath, knowing that he hath but a fhort 'time,' Rev. xii. 12.

Here again the faints and angels, and all the bleffed company of heaven are called upon, and exhorted to rejoice, because the devil and his angels are caft out, and the. elect have the victory over him through the blood of the Lamb; and because the falvation of the church is fealed up, and God only reigneth through Chrift. Which are all matters of fo great moment, that not only the church militant is stirred up to rejoice herein, but even the church triumphant also, that is, the fpirits of juft and perfect men. But on the contrary, here is fearful wo denounced against the inhabitants of the earth, and the sea;' that is, all Papists, Atheists, worldlings, and reprobates. For fince he cannot have his will of the church, yet he will have his will, and wreak his malice upon them, by hardening their hearts, and blinding their