The Institution of Christian Religion

This victory hath alway fully been in our head Christ, because the Prince of the world had nothing in him, but in us that are his members it doth now partly appear and shall be perfected, when being unclothed of our flesh by which we are yet subject to weakness, we shall be full of the power of the Holy ghost. In this manner when the kingdom of Christ is raised up and advanced, Satan with his power falleth down as the Lord himself sayeth. I saw Satan fall as a lightening down from heaven. For by this answer he confirmeth that which the Apostles had reported of the power of his preaching. Again, When the Prince possesseth his own palace,¹ all things that he possesseth are in peace, but when there cometh a stronger, he is thrown out. &c. And to this end Christ in dying overcame Satan which had the power of death, & triumphed upon all his armies that they should not hurt the church, for otherwise they would every moment a hundred times destroy it. ⟨p. 50⟩For (considering what is our weakness, & what is his furious strength) how could we stand, yea never so little time against his manifold & continual assaults, but being supported by the victory of our captain? Therefore God suffereth not the devil to reign over the souls of the faithful, but only delivereth him the wicked and unbelieving to govern, whom God doth not vouchsafe to have reckoned in his flock. For it is said that he possesseth this world without controversy till he be thrust out by Christ.² Again, that he doth blind all them that believe not the gospel, again, that he performeth his work in the stubborn children, and worthily, for all the wicked are the vessels of wrath. Therefore to whom should they be rather subject than to the minister of God's vengeance?³ Finally they are said to be of their Father the devil, because as the faithful are hereby known to be the children of God because they bear his image: so they by the image of Satan into which they are gone out of kind, are properly discerned to be his children.

This victory hath alway fully been in our hed Chryst, because the Prince of the world had nothing in him, but in vs that are his members it doth now partly appeare and shalbe perfited, whē being vnclothed of our fleshe by whiche we are yet subiecte to weakenesse, we shalbe ful of the power of the Holy ghoste. In thys manner when the kyngdome of Chryst is raysed vp and duaunced, Satan with his power falleth down as the Lord hymselfe sayeth. I saw Satan fall as a lightening down from heauen. For by this answere he confirmeth that which the Apostles had reported of ye power of his preachyng. Agayne, When ye Prince possesseth his own palace,