Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 112
§ 112.
THat Sathan is their King, As they have not bene wanting bitherto in any age.you have it, Iohn 14.30. and the Prince of this world, it is plaine, Iohn, 12.31. and that he ruleth by, and worketh in all the children of diſobedience, Eph. 2.2. makes cleare: and that they are his ſervants, kept by the Devill in a ſnare, and taken Captive of him, at his will, are the very words of the Holy-Ghoſt, 2 Tim. 2.26. which being ſo (conſidered together with the former proclamation) how ſhould they not ſeeke his wealth, and honour by fighting for him? How ſhould they not ſtrive to enlarge his kingdome, and the territories of Hell, by winning all they can from Chriſt, by a continuall warre and skirmiſh, as they have not beene wanting hitherto in any age?
Yea, I could produce teſtimonies and examples till darke night, to prove that there hath beene in all ages, is now, and ever ſhall be (betweene theſe two Kings, Sathan and Chriſt, and their regiments, the wicked, and the godly) a perpetual war enmity and ſtrife, according to the Lords prediction, or proclamation; for there is ſcarce a Page in the Bible, which doth not either expreſſe, or imply, ſomewhat touching this warre: yea, as if the Scriptures contained nothing elſe, the Holy-Ghoſt ſignificantly calls them, the booke of the battells of the Lord, Numb. 21.14. as Rupertus well obſerves.
But becauſe it would take up much roome, and none, except they are blind, will queſtion the ſame, I will wave that.
Saran is not a Captaine of forties, nor of fifties nor of ſixties, nor of hundreds; but he is Generall over all which fight not under Chriſt's Banner; which is but a little flocke.
It's true, every Chriſtian in his Baptiſme hath taken preſſe-money of Chriſt, to be his Souldier, and to ſerve him in the Field of this world, againſt his, and our enemies: yea, I confeſſe, amongſt us Chriſtians, Chriſt is the ſubject of all tongues; O that he were the object of all hearts: but whereas the Schoole diſputes of him, the Pulpit preaches of him, Hypocrites talke of him, time-ſervers make uſe of him, Politicians pretend him, prophane men ſweare by him, millions profeſſe him; few love him, few ſerve him, few care to honour him: godly men, even amongſt us Chriſtians, are like timber trees in a wood, here one, and there one. Yea, it is to be feared, that, as once in Iſrael a thouſand followed Ba…l, for one that followed God; ſo now, many ſerve the world, and the fleſh, and the Devill, for one that truely ſerves God in ſincerity, truth, and holineſſe.
Now as when Abimeleck raigned, downe went Gideon's children: ſo where wicked men beare ſway, and ſin raignes, downe goes Chriſt's friends, and the fruits of faith. And when hath the viſible Church kept her owne ſo well, but it might truely be ſaid (not as the women of Saul and David, Saul hath ſlaine his thouſand, and David his tenne thouſand, but) Sathan by himſelfe and his Hoſt, hath ſlaine more then his hundred thouſand. Yea, of theſe drunkards, who have taken the Devills oath of allegiance, he is a very meane ſouldier, that hath not won ſome from Chriſts Standard: as amongſt the Hungarians, he is not held worthy to weare a weapon, nor reputed a brave gentleman, who hath not kil'd a Turke: Yea, ſome there are that have wonne more men from him, then they have beene weekes at their owne diſpoſe; as Cato Cenſorius boaſted, he had taken more townes in Spaine, then he had beene dayes in the country. Nay, hath not the Devill made as good uſe of ſome famous drunkard, as Sampſon did of that Jaw-bone of an Aſſe, Iudg. 15. wherewith he ſlew a thouſand men?