Sermon c 48 Christ's Conflict

John 14:30 The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Christ’s Conflict

No-one since the fall could ever say this. It only was and could be the language of him who was “holy, harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens.” The time was short, the arduous and important work was nearly finished and the most trying season of all was now approaching. The clouds are gathering, the enemy is collecting all his forces and will shortly make a furious onset. But the Saviour is fully prepared and confident of victory: the serpent may bruise his heel, but he will bruise the serpent’s head, and fully destroy the works of the devil.

I. Satan is called The prince of this world 1. Satan is called a prince, which implies power and dominion. 2. He is the prince of this world. Here let us inquire whose subjects are we?

II. The prince of this world cometh His coming implies 1. That he has hitherto kept at a distance 2. He had some particular end in view, which he wished to accomplish 3. His coming would be immediate and without delay He is frequently near to us when we think him at the greatest distance. But we have two things to comfort us - The conflict though sharp will be but short: we shall soon be out of his reach, and he that now comes will come no more - And if we persist, we shall certainly be victorious.

III. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me The sinner cannot say this neither can the saint until he get to heaven. The unspotted purity of Christ’s nature was owing to the following things, all of which were peculiar to himself 1. His miraculous conception 2. He was filled with the Spirit and all the graces were in full maturity 3. As the Son of God he was possessed of a divine nature

(1) This subject may teach us to entertain low thoughts of ourselves (2) Let i teach us to cherish high and adoring thoughts of Christ