Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 12:29

29 Or else, how can one enter into a strong mans house, and spoyl his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoyl his house.

Mark hath the same words, with little Variation, Mark 3.27▪ Luke Ch. 11.21.22. saith, When a strong Man Armed▪ keepeth his Palace, his Goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, and overcometh him, he taketh from him all his Armour, wherein he trusted, and divideth his Spoyl. The Sense is the same, tho the words be multiplyed. Our Saviour sheweth how his casting out of Devils, by the Spirit, and Power of God, argued that the Messiah was come, and the time come, when God would set up his Kingdom amongst Men. The Devil (saith he) who is the God of the World, and the Prince of the Power of the Air, is very strong, there is none save God only, who is stronger than he. If I were not God, I could never cast out this Strong Man, who Reigns in the World as in his House. As you see amongst Men, the Strong Man is not overcome, but by one stronger, he by this also lets them know, that he was so far from any Covenant or Compact with Beelzebub, that he came into the World a Professed Enemy to him, to dispossess him of that Tyrannical Power he Exercised among[illegible: 1 letter]t Men, by his keeping them in Darkness, blinding them with Error, and Super[illegible: 1 letter]tition, and seducing them to Sinful Practices, till God for their Prodigious Sins, had also given him a power over their Bodies, variously to Vex, Afflict, and Torment them. Christ took from this strong Man all his Armour: By scattering the Darkness which was in the World, by the full Revelation of Gospel Truth: By Expelling Error and Superstition, teaching People the Truths of God, and the right way of his Worship: By taking away the Guilt, and destroying the Power of Sin, and Death, Ignorance, Error, Profaneness. The Sense of the Guilt of Sin, and the Power of Lusts within us, being the Devils Armour, by which he kept up his Power, and doth yet keep up what Dominion he hath in the World.