δρυός πεσούσης, πᾶς ἀνὴρ ξυλεύεται. Cut the tree up by the roots, and you may easily lop off all the branches. Thus we find him sifting of Peter, and hindering of Paul. (Luke xxii. 31. 1 Thes. ii. 18) Therefore in the law, as great a sacrifice was required for the priest, as for all the people. (Lev. iv. 3, 13, 14) Their sin is of a diffusive nature; from them prophaneness goes into all the land; (Jer. xxiii. 15) they are the snare of a fowler, by which others are entrapped. (Hos. ix. 8) The sin of him that hath knowledge, emboldeneth others. (1 Cor. viii. 10) The priests' sin brought contempt upon the very offerings of the Lord. (1 Sam. ii. 17)

And therefore all public persons, magistrates, and ministers, should be so much the more vigilant over themselves, by how much the more Satan is busy both to tempt and to accuse them. Plutarch hath written a book of 'profiting by enemies.' Certainly next unto this, that they stand before the Lord, and have his eye over them,-there can hardly be a more profitable consideration for men in office, than to remember that Satan is at their right hand, to tempt, to accuse, to observe, and to resist them. They say, Those roses are sweetest, which have stinking weeds grow near them. The nearer we know that Satan is to us, the more holy and pure should our lives be.

We have seen Joshua standing: Let us now see Satan standing, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him, to accuse him. If we do our duty, Satan is at our right hand to hinder us: If we do not our duty, Satan is at our right hand to implead us. Whether we be conscionable, or whether we be careless, he will have some design upon us, something to do against us.

1. He withstands us as a tempter. No sooner was Christ called out to his office and ministry, but Satan presently sets upon him to tempt him; (Matth. iv. 1) and usually the more work, the more temptation. He stands at the working hand. And the more public the work, the more sharp and eager the temptation. None more exposed to Satan's opposition than a Zerubbabel and a Joshua, a conscionable magistrate, and a zealous minister. When magistracy and ministry are most opposed, we may conclude Satan is most busy. Their office is most against his

kingdom, and therefore his malice is most against their function.

2. He opposeth as an accuser. (Rev. xii. 10) As the young man said unto Joab, "If I should have done as thou sayest, thou thyself wouldst have set thyself against me," (2 Sam. xviii. 13) is most true of Satan: if he can, by any means, tempt us into sin, he will be the first to accuse us of it. P

But how did Satan resist Joshua? No other way that we know of, but by stirring up the Samaritans to hinder the building of the temple, by hiring counsellors, writing accusations, and procuring an edict against them, which they hastily put in execution. (Ezra iv. 5, 6, 23) Satan, as the general and chief captain, useth wicked men as his drudges and instruments in all his oppositions against the church. All the world are under two heads; in their peaceable capacity, under two princes: Holy men, under Christ, the King of Saints; and wicked men, under Satan, the Prince of this world, that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience. (Ephes. ii. 2) And in their military capacity, holy men, under Christ, the Captain of our salvation; (Heb. ii. 10) and wicked men, under Satan, the great dragon", who are taken by him at his will. (2 Tim. ii. 26) And therefore,

1. Believers must, accordingly, arm themselves with the whole armour of God, when they give their name to Christ, and provide for sharp troubles from principalities and powers, especially the ministers of Christ in the service of his church. No life more comfortable, more honourable; but a warfare belongs unto it. "The weapons of our warfare," saith the apostle, "are mighty through God;” (2 Cor. x. 5) and, "Endure hardness," saith he to Timothy, "as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Tim. ii. 3) Every good sermon storms some or other strong-hold of Satan, and mortifies, at least aimeth at mortifying, some one or other lust, that is subservient unto his kingdom. There will be continual

> Impii diabolum habent primò suggestorem, Dei tortorem. Cyprian de Jejunio et Tentat. Una Civitas et una Civitas, Babylonia una, Hierusalem una; illa Rege Diabolo, ista Rege Christo, &c. Aug. in Psalm 61. s John xii. 31. Josh. v. 14, 15.

Iv. 3. 17. xiv. 19, 16.

r Rev. • Heb.

temptations: we must labour and pray for grace, to overcome them. And there will be continual accusations: we must labour and pray for faith, to answer them.

2. Wicked men may see, in opposing Joshua in building the temple, in withstanding the ministers and work of Christ in his church, what master they serve, and whose interest they promote. They are but vassals of Satan, acted by the same principles of enmity and malignity which are in him. "He that committeth sin, is of the devil." (1 John iii. 8) And whereas men may be of the devil two manner of ways, 1. Per modum servitutis,' as obeying his commands; 2. Per modum imaginis,' as resembling his disposition; opposing of the work of Christ in his church, is of this last and worst kind, wherein men shew themselves not his servants only, but his children. As when Elymas the sorcerer withstood Paul, and would have turned the deputy from the faith, the apostle thereupon called him the child of the devil.' (Acts xiii. 10) Whoever sow tares in the Lord's field, do the work of him who is the Lord's enemy. (Matth. xiii. 25) O how many workmen hath Satan amongst us at this time! when the Lord's husbandmen are so decried, and mischievous doctrines so boldly, and with open face, published. The Lord grant that we may not be so long smitten with blindness, till we be led even into Samaria !

But here is the church's comfort, That there is a Lord our advocate with the Lord. As the Lord said to the Lord, "Sit at my right hand," (Psalm cx. 1) so here the Lord saith to the Lord, "Lord, rebuke Satan." The Lord sent Christ the Lord to conquer Satan; and Christ the Lord prays unto the Lord to rebuke Satan.

1. When Satan is the church's accuser, Christ is the church's advocate. "We have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John ii. 1, 2) When Satan is an adversary to resist, Christ is a captain to defend. (Heb. ii. 10) He was for this purpose manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John iii. 8) And he hath destroyed Satan three manner of ways; 1. ' Per viam sapientiæ;' he hath outwitted Satan, and made his own devices to

■ Subsecuturis tentationibus munimenta præstruimus, Tert. de Baptismo, c. 20. Vid. Aug. epist. 148.

turn upon his own head. By malice, Satan brought Christ to his cross; and on that cross Christ spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over Satan. (Col. ii. 15) He swallowed the bait of his humanity, and was caught by the hook of his divinity. 2. Per viam potentiæ,' in a way of war and combat; being stronger than the strong man, he overcomes him, takes from him his armour, divides the spoils, (Luke xi. 21, 22) makes his people set their feet upon the neck of Satan; as Joshua did call the captains of Israel, to tread on the necks of the kings of Canaan. (Josh. x. 24) He vanquished him in a single combat of temptation himself, so that Satan was fain to leave the field; (Matth. iv. 11) and he vanquished him in his war against the church, so that he and his angels are cast out. (Rev. xii. 9) 3. Per viam judicii,' in a way of juridical process. He bringeth Satan to his tribunal, as a Prince of Peace, as Judge of the World; makes him accountable for all his temptations, for all his persecutions, for all his usurpations and tyrannies, over the souls of men; pronounceth judgement upon him, and casts him out, and casts out all his accusations against the brethren. (John xii. 31, and xvi. 11. Rev. xii. 10)

This is a ground of great comfort, though Christ suffer Satan to tempt and to oppugn his church, to put out his venom, and power, and policy against it, yet he will still be a wall of fire round about it. If Satan go to and fro to devour, (Job i. 7) Christ hath his angels going to and fro to protect. (Zech. i. 11) If Satan have four horns to scatter the church, Christ hath as many carpenters to fray them away. (Zech. i. 18, 19, 21) Whatever poison there is in Satan, there is an antidote in Christ against it. He a destroyer, Christ a Saviour; he a tempter, Christ a Comforter; he an enemy, Christ a Captain; he an accuser, Christ an Advocate; he a prince, and god of this world; Christ a King of Saints, and Lord of Glory. Three names Satan hath given him from his three most active principles: a 'Serpent,' for his cunning; (Gen. iii. 1) a 'Lion,' for his strength; (1 Pet. v. 8) and a Dragon,' for his malice. (Rev. xx. 2) And Christ hath a name which meets with every one of these: a 'Counsellor,' no subtilty of the serpent can deceive him:

5 Τεύχεα τ' ἐξενάριζε, καὶ τὰ μὲν αὐτὸς ἔπειτ ̓ ἐφόρει. Homer.

11. 6.

z Isai.

an

a 'Mighty God,' no strength of the lion can overcome him : Everlasting Father,' no malice of the dragon can outact him; and he is wonderful' in all these, ordering and improving his wisdom, his power, and his love, unto the peace of his people, against whom Satan warreth.

II. And further we may here note, that when Satan accuseth, Joshua doth not stand upon his defence, nor plead his own cause; but he answers by his counsel, his advocate pleads for him. When we are tempted and assaulted by Satan, we must put off our adversary to Christ. If we go against him in our own strength, he will certainly be too hard for us. Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Satan ; he doth not buffet Satan again, but cries to the Lord to help him. (2 Cor. xii. 7, 8) No name to oppose to the accusations and fiery darts of Satan, but the name of Christ. We know not what to do against principalities and powers, but our eyes are upon him. Satan brings in his charge to condemn. What is the answer? Christ died, Christ is risen, Christ is at the right hand of God, Christ is our advocate with the Father; Christ hath a plenitude and sufficiency of grace; Christ can save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him; Christ is stronger than the strong man ; Christ hath exceeding abundant grace to save the chief of sinners; Christ ascended up on high, and gave gifts unto men, even unto the rebellious. If God will not hear the blood of his Son, if Christ will not hear the cry of his servant, if Satan can outbawl the intercession of Christ, if Satan can pluck Christ from the right hand of his Father, or can pluck away the compassions of Christ out of his bowels; then, never till then, shall penitent sinners that trust him with their souls and salvation, be cast in their suit, and put to shame. We see by what weapons Satan is to be overcome; not by human counsel or power, but by the increpation of God, and by the intercession of Christ. He only is able to succour those that are tempted. (Heb. ii. 18) In his name alone, we must go out against this Goliath. Though Satan be trod down under our feet, yet it is the Lord alone that doth tread him down. (Rom. xvi. 20) Stand before him, appeal to him, implore his rebuke, and you are safe.

a Rom. viii. 33.

d

Luke xi. 21. 1 Tim. i. 14. Psalm 1xviii. 18.