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his Malice, he did thus with Job, he begs the Commiffion, calumniates Job upon unjuft furmifes; preffeth ftill for a further power to hurt him, in fo much that God exprefly ftints and bounds him, (which fhews how boundlefs he would have been if left to his own will) and gives him at laft an open check, Job 2.3. wherein he lays open the malice of his heart in three things. (1) His own preffing urgency, Thou movedft me. (2.) His deftructive Fury, no lefs would ferve, than Job's utter destruction. (3.) Job's Innocency; All this without caufe, thou movedft me to destroy him without caufe.

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Thirdly; That Malice muft needs be great, that will purfue a Small matter what small game will the Devil play, rather than altogether fit out? If he can but trouble, or puzzle, or affright; yet that he will do, rather than nothing, if he can (like an Addar in the Path) but bite the Heel, though his Head be bruifed for it, he will notwithstanding bufie himself in it.

Fourthly, That Malice must be great, which will put it self forth where it knows it can prevail nothing, but is certain of a difappointment. Thus did Satan tempt Chrift; thofe Speeches, if thou be the Son of God, do not imply any doubt in Satan; he knew what was prophefied of Chrift, and what had been declared from Heaven in teftification of him; fo that he could not but be certain he was God and Man; and yet what bafe unworthy temptations doth he lay before him, as to fall down and worship him? Was it that Satan thought to prevail against him? No furely, but fuch was his Malice, that he would put an affront upon him, though he knew he could not prevail against him."

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Fifthly The Malice of wicked Men, is an Argument of Satan's great Malice they have an antipathy against the Righteous, (as the Wolf against the Sheep) and upon that very ground, that they are called out of the World; how great this fury is, all Ages have teftified: This hath brought forth Difcord, Revilings, Slanders, Imprifonments, fpoiling of Goods, Banifhments, Perfecutions, Tortures, cruel Deaths, as Burning, Racking, Tearing, fawing alunder, and what-ever the wit of Man could devife, for a fatisfaction to thofe implacable, furious, murtherous minds; and yet all this is done to Men of the fame Image and Lineage with themfelves, of the fame Religion with themfelves (as to the main); nay, fome time to Men of their own Kindred, their own Flesh and Blood, and all to thofe that would live peaceably You put

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in the Land. What fhall we fay to thefe things? How come Men to put on a favage Nature, to act the part of Lions, Leopards, Tigars, if not much worfe? The reafon of all we have, John 8. 54. Te are of your Father the Devil, he was a Murtherer from the beginnings as alfo Gen.3. 15. I will put enmity between her Seed and thy Seed: So that all this fhews what malice is in Satan's Heart, who urgeth and provokes his Inftruments, to fuch bloody hatreds. Hence who-ever were the Agents, Rev. 2, 10. in imprifoning the Saints, the Malice of Satan in ftirring them up to it, makes him become the Author of it; Satan shall caft Some of you, into Prison.

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CHA P. III.

Of Satan's Power! His Power as an Angel confidered. That he loft not that Power by his Fall. His Power as a Devil Of his Commiffion. The Extent of his Authority. The Efficacy of his Power. The Advan tages which he bath for the management of it, from the Number, Order, Place, and Knowledge of De

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Hat Satan's Power is Great, is our next Enquiry: Where, That Firft, we will confider his Power as an Angel. In Pfalm. 103.20. Angels are faid to excel in ftrength and in verf.2 1. as alfo Pfal. 148.2. they are called God's Hoft; which is more fully expreffed, 1 Kings 22. 19. I saw the Lord fitting upon his Throne, and all the Hoft of Heaven ftanding by him on his right hand and on his left: which phrafe, though it import their Order and Obfervance yet undoubtedly the main of its intendment, is to fet forth their Power, as Hofts are the ftrength of Kings and Nations, God himfelf in putting on that Title, The Lord of Hofts, makes it an evidence of his incomprehenfible Power, that fuch Armies of ftrong and mighty Creatures are at his command. But this only in the general. That which comes nearer to a particular account of their ftrength, is that Notion of a Spirit, by which they are, frequently

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frequently defcribed; He maketh his Angels Spirits, his Ministers Pfal.104.4 flaming Fire. The being of a Spirit is the higheft our understanding is able to reach,and that it thews a being very excellent, is manifelt in this, that God is pleafed to reprefent himself to us under the notion of a Spirit, Not that he is truly and properly fuch,but that 2 this is the most excellent Being that falls under our apprehenfion.. Befides, that the tearm Spirit, raifeth our underlanding to conceive a Being of an high and extraordinary Power it doth further tend to form our conceptions to fome apprehenfions of their Nature: 1. From the knowledg that we have of our own Spirits; that our Spirit is of a vast comprehenfion and activity, our Thoughts, Defires, Reafonings, and the particular undertakings of fome Men of a raised Spirit, do abundantly evidence. (2.) In that it represents a Spiritual Being, freed from the clog and hinderance of corporeity, our own Spirits are limited and restrained by our Bodies, as Fire, an active Element, is retarded and made fluggish by Matter unapt to ferve its proper force, as when 'tis in an apof Earth; which is alfo fufficiently pointed at in that oppofition betwixt Flesh and Blood, and Principalities and Powers, Ephef. 6. fhewing that Flesh and Blood are a difadvantage and hinderance to the activity of a Spirit. A Spirit then, as in corporeal, may be conceived to move eafily without moleftation, quickly, imperceptibly and irrefiftibly.. (3.) This is yet further illuftrated by the Similitude of Wind and Fire, which are (to the common experience of all) of very great force. And 'tis yet further obfervable, that the Scripture fometime fpeaks of the power of Angels in the Abstract, chufing rather to call them 'Exola, Powers than powerful clearly fhewing, that Angels are Beings of vaft ftrength, as indeed the Actions done by them do abundantly teftifie; fuch was the deftroying Sennacheribs Host in a night, the opening the Prifon Doors for Peter, the carrying Philip in the Air, and fuch other Acts, which tend to the protection of the Faithful, or punishing of the wicked.

Though this may fully fatisfie us that Angels excel in strength, yet the Scripture fuggefts another confideration relating to the Office and Imployment of Angels, where their Commiffion fhews not only a liberty for the Exercife of this Power, but alfo doth imply fuch a Power as is fit to be commiffionated to fuch Acts; thefe Invifible Beings are called Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, 1 Col. 16. Tis indeed a task beyond a fober under

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Laurent, c.58.

taking to diftinguish these words, and to fet their true Bounds Quid inter fe and Marks of difference; This, Augustin acknowledged,yet may diftant quatu- we hence conclude, (1.) that these words imply a very great la, dicant qui Authority in Angels. (2.) A power and strength fuitable to their poffunt, fi ta- Imployment, and that God furnifhed them with power anfwemen poffunt rable to the Work which he intended for them, in his moving probare qua the Heavens, and governing the World, c. However, in dicunt, ego me ifta ignorare fome Cafes, God works by Inftruments every way disproportionable confiteor. to the Service, That the excellency of the Power might be of God; yet in the ordinary way of his working, he puts an innate, suitable force in Creatures, for the Acts to be done by them; as there is an innate Power in the Wind to blow, in the Fire to burn, in Herbs and Plants for Medicinal ufes. Thus may we conceive of Angels, that God ufing them as his Hoft, his Minifters to do his pleasures he hath indowed them with an innate natural Power for thofe great things which he doth by them; which must not be fuppofed in the leaft derogatory to the Power of God, in his ways of Mercies or Judgments, feeing all the ftrength of Angels is originally from God: hence is it that all the Names of Angels which we read of in Scripture carry this acknowledgment in their fignification, Michael thus unfolds it felf, Who is like God. Gabriel thus, The Glory of God; and therefore may we fuppofe them not fo much the proper Names of Angels, but (as Calvin noteth) Nomina ad captum noftrum indita, Names implying God's 15 207ɔnoqki no great Power in them.

Inftit. l.1.c.4. §. 8.

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Such a powerful Spirit is Satan by Creation. But because it will be doubted left his fall hath bereaved him of his excellency, and caft him down from his strength; I fhall evidence that he ftill retains the fame natural Power: To which purpofe, 'tis not unfit to be obferved, (1.) that the fame Terms and Names which were given to good Angels, to fignifie their Strength and Commillion, Cot. 1. 16. and 1. 10. are alfo given to Satan, Ephef. 6. 12. Devils are called Principalities, Powers, Rulers; and Col. 2.15. they have the fame Names which in verf. 10. were given to good Angels, he foiled Principalities and Powers. (2.) The Scripture gives particular Inftances of Satan's Power and Working, as his raifing Tempefts in the Air, commanding Fire from Heaven; both which he did in profecution of his Malice againft Jobs his carrying the Bodies of Men in the Air, as he did with Chriff, hurrying him from the Wilderness to the Mountain, from thence

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to the Pinacle of the Temple; his breaking Chains and Fetters of Iron, Mark 5. 4.. His bringing Diseases, instances whereof were that crooked Woman whom Satan had bowed together, Luke 13.16. and the Lunatick Perfon, Luk. 9. 31. with a great many more. (3) 'Tis also obfervable, that notwithstanding Satan's fall hath made an alteration as to the Ends, Ufes, and Of fice of his Power; yet nevertheless God makes use of this strength in him, not only as an Executioner of Wrath against his Enemies, (as when he vexed Saul by this Evil Spirit; and through this 1 Sam. 16.14. Lying Spirit, gave up Ahab to be deluded into his ruin, and in- I King. 22.21, ficted Plagues upon Egypt, by fending Evil Angels among them) Pfal.78.49. but alfo for the tryal of his own Servants; thus was Job afflicted by Satan, and Paul buffeted by his Meffenger.

Secondly This Power of his, as a Devil, falls next under our confideration, wherein are divers Particulars to be noted: As,

Firft, His Commiffion and Authority. If any put that Question to him, which the Jews did to Chrift; By what Authority doft then thefe things? or, Who gave thee this Authority? We have the Anfwer in John 12.24. and 16. 11. where he is called the Prince of this World; and accordingly the Scripture speaks of a two-fold Kingdom of Light and of Darkneß; and in this we hear of Sa tan's Seat or Throne, of his Servants and Subjects. Yea, that which is more, the Scripture fpeaks of a kind of Deity in Satan; he is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Which doth not only fet forth the intollerable pride and ufurpation of Satan in propounding himfelf as fuch, fo drawing on poor blind Creatures to worship him, but alfo difcovers his Power, which by Com- Zancheus. miffion he hath obtained over the Children of Difobedience. Hence doth he challenge it, as a kind of right and due from the poor Americans and others, that they should fall down and worship him; and upon this Suppofition was he fo intollerably prefumptuous in offering the Kingdoms of the World to Chrift for fuch à Service and Worship.

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If it be queftioned, What Satan's Authority is? I fhall answer Q. it thus.

Firft; His Authority is not abfolute or unlimited; he cannot do what he pleafeth, and therefore we do find him begging leave of God for the exerting of his Power in particular Cafes, as when he was a Lying Spirit in the Mouth of Abab's Prophets, and in every Affault he made upon Job; nay, he could nor

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