Satan, prince of this World: God's Spirit against Sin

1. "They shall cast you out of the congregation of Israel in general, the national church of the Jews; shall debar you from the privileges of that, put you into the condition of an outlaw,’’ to be knocked on the head, like another wolf; "they will look upon you as Samaritans, as heathen men and publicans.’’
2. Let this comfort you, that none will be your enemies but the worst of men.’’ Many that pretend to know God are wretchedly ignorant of him. Those that pretend to do him service thought they knew him, but it was a wrong notion they had of him.
3. "Now I am to be no longer with you, but go my way to him that sent me, to repose there, after this fatigue; and none of you asks me, with any courage, Whither goest thou? But, instead of enquiring after that which would comfort you, you pore upon that which looks melancholy, and sorrow has filled your heart.’’
4. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin, that we have done so and so; of the fault of sin, that we have done ill in doing so; of the folly of sin, that we have acted against right reason, and our true interest; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become odious to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death.
5. The devil, the prince of this world, was judged, was discovered to be a great deceiver and destroyer, and as such judgment was entered against him, and execution in part done.
6. Jesus Christ shall convince the world that all judgment is committed to him, and that he is the Lord of all, which is evident by this, that he has judged the prince of this world, has broken the serpent’s head, destroyed him that had the power of death, and spoiled principalities; if Satan be thus subdued by Jesus Christ, we may be sure no other power can stand before him.
7. The Spirit guided their tongues in speaking, and their pens in writing, to secure them from mistakes. The Spirit is given us to be our guide, not only to show us the way, but to go along with us, by his continued aids and influences. That they do not come short of their end: He will guide them into all truth, as the skilful pilot guides the ship into the port it is bound for.
8. "Therefore you shall see me again shortly, for the Father will not detain me to your prejudice. If I go upon your errand, you shall see me again as soon as my business is done, as soon as is convenient.’’It should seem, all this refers rather to his going away at death, and return at his resurrection, than his going away at the ascension, and his return at the end of time; for it was his death that was their grief, not his ascension, and between his death and resurrection it was indeed a little while.
9. Here is the similitude or parable itself: A woman, we know, when she is in travail, hath sorrow, she is in exquisite pain, because her hour is come, the hour which nature and providence have fixed, which she has expected, and cannot escape; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, provided she be safely delivered, and the child be, though a Jabez, yet not a Benoni, then she remembers no more the anguish, her groans and complaints are over, and the after—pains are more easily borne, for joy that a man is born into the world, anthropos , one of the human race, a child, be it son or daughter, for the word signifies either.
10. They could not rob them of their joy, because they could not separate them from the love of Jesus Christ, could not rob them of their God, nor of their treasure in heaven.
11. The preface to this promise is such as makes it inviolably sure, and leaves no room to question it: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I pledge my veracity upon it.’’ The promise itself is incomparably rich and sweet; the golden sceptre is here held out to us, with the word, What is thy petition, and it shall be granted? For he says, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
12. "You have loved me and believed in me when the world has hat