was taken from him: And it was thereby made plain that he was judged, condemned, and overcome.At the name of CHRIST, by the commanding word of his fervants, (for the HOLY GHOST both suggested the word, and confirmed it) unclean Spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were poffeffedt: They cried for being overcome, nor could they withstand the irrefiftible word of the Lord God Omnipotent.

Thus Satan was judged, condemned, and cast out, as a liar, and a murderer; the enemy of JEHOVAH and his CHRIST, and confequently of all his Elect.

When the prince of this world was judged; the whole world, who are deceived by him, and in league with him, fighting againft GOD, was judged alfo: Altho' the fet time of the general judgment be.not yet fully come.-Thro' CHRIST's name therefore the faints of the Moft High fhall prevail; for God is with them, and CHRIST, and his Spirit, is in them: They overcome Satan, faith the word of truth, by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony ; and this also is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith \\.

Thefe

+ Acts vii. 7.

↑ Rev. xii. 11.

John v. 4.

Thefe outward miracles, of healing the bodies of men who were poffeffed, and oppreffed of the Devil, were great, and many; but the greatest demonstration of the power of JESUS, and of Satan's being judged, and overcome, were thofe miracles of healing that were wrought, in his name, on the fouls of men: For thefe also were powerfully and favingly refcued out of his hand, who, of a long time, had kept full and quiet poffeilion of them.

Thus the word of the Apoftles came to the Theffalonians, not as the word of men, but as the word of GOD; and not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much affurance; whereby they were turned from idols, that is, from worshipping devils, to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, even Jefus, who delivered us from the wrath to come *.

This fpiritual deliverance, and faving converfion of finners from the power of Satan unto God, is a greater miracle than any that can be performed on human bodies; Which feems to be our Lord's meaning, where he faith; he that believeth on me, the works that I do, fhall he do alfo; and

+1 Theff. i. 10.

greater

greater works than thefe fhall he do, because I go unto my Father +:

In this greater work of converfion unto God, immortal fouls, who by nature were dead in trefpaffes and fins, are quickened, and raised up by the preaching of CHRIST, thro' the power of the HOLY GHOST, from a death of fin, to a life of righteousness.—Many of thefe dead finners had long followed Satan to the war against God and Christ, having their minds full of darkness, enmity, and rebellion against Jehovah; yet even thefe, at the voice of the Son of God, fhall hear, and livet.

Satan, who before had poffeffion of them, being caft out by the word of JESUS, and the power of his Spirit; their hearts are changed, and their minds are renewed, by the mighty operation of Divine Power: But this change is not of the fubstance of their fouls, but of its qualities; the mind is enlightened, the judgment rectified, the will renewed, and the affections fanctified; according to the mind and will of GOD: By new light from GOD, poured into the foul, the mind and undertanding is enlightened; and, by the excellency of

the

↑ John xiv. 12.

John v. 25.

the glory of God's love to finners in CHRIST, the will and affections are renewed and purified, thro' faith. Thus the whole foul is turned from darknefs to light; from error to truth; from fin to holinefs; from the drudgery of Satan, to ferve the living and true GOD.

Hence believers, by the Spirit, are led and enabled, freely and heartily, to take up the cross, and follow CHRIST; being determined, with purpofe of heart, to cleave to him; whatever reproaches, loffes, and temporal evils, they may sustain for his name's fake.

All their enemies are fubject to the power of CHRIST: Satan and his affociates, whether men or devils, tho' they fight against them, cannot prevail against them; for the battle is the LORD's, who is an enemy to their enemies, and an adverfary to their adverfaries +.

Again; It is the Spirit's work to set a seal upon GOD's Elect, after they have believed on Chris +: By this mark they are diftinguished, and set apart from all others whom God hath not chofen, and who believe not in JESUS.-This fealing of the Holy Spirit is invifible and fecret; none infallibly knows it, except he that receiveth it: At the first

pouring

+ Exod. xxiii. 22.

↑ Eph. i. 13.

pouring out of the Holy Spirit, in the Apostles days, its immediate fruit, and vifible effect, feems to have been an ability to speak with new tongues, and work miracles, &c. but that which is most important in this fealing of the Spirit, and abiding in the Church of CHRIST unto the end of the world, is an impreffion made by the HOLY GHOST in the minds, and hearts of believers; correfponding to the truth of the Gofpel, bearing the image and likeness of Chrift: The principal mark, and character of this divine impreffion is love; therefore he faith, if any man love God, the fame is known of him and again, we know that we are paffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren ‡.—This is the common, and univerfal fealing of the Spirit, in all the children of GoD; but it is not alike clear and manifeft in all that have it, and therefore their joy, and peace in believing, is not equally clear and full.

There is alfo the earnest of the Spirit, which is given to the faints, for the confirmation of the love of GOD towards them in CHRIST JESUS, and of their being heirs of the heavenly inheritance, of which this earneft is a part; it being an affured pledge, and token of their receiving the whole, in

due

+1 Cor. viii. 3.

↑ John iii. 14.