A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind, Chapter 1

A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I. Man's Malady and Danger.

MAN's Life is a Warfare, Job 7.1. Margin, which the Septuagint reads foreign, to ſignifie a place of Pirates, as Paul was in perils often both by Sea and Land, 2 Cor. 11.26. ſo are we all while in this lower World; for Satan is both a Robber by Land, that ſeeks not for Straw, but for Gold (as Chryſoſtom's Thief did ſay of himſelf) and he is a Pirate at Sea, hanging out falſe Colours to get in with us, he ſeeks not whom to bite, out whom to devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. the word [foreign] ſignifies to ſwallow up at one mouth-full, and that no leſs than our precious and immortal Souls; therefore is he called Abaddon, Hebr. A bad one indeed, or the wicked one, and foreign, Greek, Rev. 9.3. both which names ſignifie a Deſtroyer: He is a broken Bankrupt himſelf, and ordained for Deſtruction, and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Miſery, accounting it ſome comfortp. 2to have Companions therein. Solamen miſeris ſocios adhibere Doloris. He hunts not (as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter) for our moneys, houſes, lands or liberties, but for our very lives (as the Harlot doth, Prov. 7.23. yea to ſteal away our Souls from God, and the Crown of Glory from us, he is called in Scripture by ſuch names as are all of a deſtroying nature, as (1.) A Draggon, Rev. 12.7. (2.) A Lion, 1 Pet. 5.8. (3.) A Serpent, Iſa. 27.1. (4.) A Wolf, Jobn 10.12. (5.) A Murderer, John 8.44. (6.) A Tormentor, Matth. 18.34. (7.) A Fowler and Hunter, Pſal. 91.3. (8.) Beelzebub, Mat. 10.25. & 12.24,27, (9.) Devil, quaſi Do evil often, and therefore it is no leſs than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us deſtroyed by him through his craft and cruelty, his power and policy, eſpecially conſidering how he hath the upper ground of us, as he is Prince of the Power of the Air, Eph. 2.2. when we are but weak and worthleſs Worms crawling here below upon the Earth, inſomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven, which is our Fathers Houſe, therefore was Lazarus's Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's boſom, Luke 16.22. Beſide, it ought to be conſidered with ſeriouſneſs how Satan our Adverſary (as itp. 3ſignifies) proved too hard for the Innocenteſt Man Adam, too hard for the Strongeſt Man, Samſon, and too hard for the Wiſeſt Man Solomon: If he could over-maſter all theſe Three, who were green Trees, what can we dry Trees expect? Luke 23.31. If this Strong Man, yea and Armed too, even with Armour of proof, Luke 11.21. became a Conquerour over Adam in his ſtate of Innocency; how much more may he more eaſily maſter the beſt of us? [Si hoc Adamo in Paradiſo contigiſſet, quid nobis in ſterquibunt] ſaith Bernard, If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden, oh what may befall us who are now caſt out of Paradiſe upon the dirty Dunghill of this preſent evil World! Gal. 1.4. It may be ſaid of the beſt of us, as it was ſaid of young Troilus's grappling with great Achilles, There was Impar congreſſus, a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them: Yea ſo bold and daring is this Devil, that he dared to Aſſault the Second Adam (as he had done before the Firſt Adam, hoping for the ſame ſucceſs.) Even the Son of God himſelf, who only could indeed over-match him, not only for himſelf, but more eſpecially for all his Redeemed: Moreover Satan is a Reſtleſs Adverſary out of his unſpeakable hatred againſt God and all goodneſs; as itp. 4is ſaid of the Scorpion, there is not one minute of Time, wherein he doth not thruſt out his Sting, but keeps it in a continual and ſpeedy motion of poiſoning and deſtroying whatever he can reach; even ſo and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to ſting our Souls worſe than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Iſrael, Numb. 21.

Conſider alſo how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adverſary; his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth, Job 1.7. & 2.2. he is call'd the God of this World, 2. Cor. 4.4. which lays in wickedneſs, 1 John 5.19. As the True God in the beginning did but ſpeak the word by his Creating Power, and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought; ſo if Satan do but hold up his finger, or give but the leaſt whiſper to his Vaſſals, they are at his beck and obedience; he leads them captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. Yea and this he doth all over the World; no Land or Iſland is free from him, but the whole Univerſe may be called (as one part of it is) Terra Diaboli, the Devil's Land; he is the Ruler of the Darkneſs of this World, Eph. 6.12. He is a God in this ſenſe, becauſe there is no fleeing from his preſence, &c. as Pſa. 139.7,8,9. our baſe hearts and a buſie Devil will meet in all Lands. Add likewiſe to the aboveſaid, how p. 5He is an Everlaſting Adverſary both 1. In reſpect of the great World; He began betimes with the firſt Man and Woman in the World, and he hath continued ever ſince to this preſent time, and he will continue even to the end, until our Lord lays hold on him, and chain him up for a 1000 years, Rev. 20. And 2. In reſpect of the little World, Man, who is as an Epitome of the great World, &c. Satan begins betimes, even at our very Conception; for as the Serpent was more ſubtle than all the Beaſts of tbe Field, Gen. 3.1. ſo Satan's ſubtlety was moſt manifeſt in this matter, that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphos'd him from a glorious Angel (as he was created) into a damned Devil, and therefore was caſt out of Heaven into Hell, and underſtanding how God deſigned to fill up that Habitation (which he had left with his Angels, Jude verſe 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind. Hereupon he is ſaid to be come down (or rather caſt down) having great Wrath and Malice againſt Mankind, Rev. 12.12. hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred, and ſinning that unpardonable ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt every moment, &c. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundeſt Craft and Policy, as is apparent in this, that he ſtayed not to pour his poiſon intop. 6every Veſſel, as it was brought forth into the World, but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind, well knowing that in poiſoning our firſt Parents, he likewiſe poiſoned all their Poſterity in all ſucceeding Ages to the end of the World: Thus, ſaith the Apoſtle [by one Man, Sin entred into the World, Rom. 5.12. and Death by Sin, and ſo Death paſſed upon all Men, for that all have ſinned, and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moſes (and ſo down to us in our day, &c.) even over them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adam's Tranſgreſſion:] So that Infants are no Innocents, being born with Original Sin, the firſt Sheet wherein they are wrapped, is woven of ſin, ſhame, blood and filth, Ezek. 16.4,6, &c. They are ſaid to ſin as they were in the loins of Adam; ſuſt as Levi is ſaid to pay Tithes to Melchiſedech, even in the loins of his Fore-father Abraham, Heb. 7.9,10. otherwiſe Infants would not die, for Death is the wages of ſin, Rom. 6.23. and the Reign of Death is procured by the Reign of ſin, which hath reigned over all Mankind, except Chriſt: All are ſinners, infected with the guilt and filth of ſin, the Rot (according to the Vulgar ſaying) over-runneth the whole Flock. Hence David reflects upon Original Sin as the Original cauſe of all his p. 7Actuals, ſaying, [Behold I was ſhapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me, Pſal. 51.5.

Thus Man's Malady begins betimes, even in our Conception; this ſubtile Serpent ſowed his Tares very early, ſo that we are all born in our ſin, Joh. 9.34. Adam begat a Son in his own Image, Gen. 5.3. and his Childrens Teeth are ſet on Edge after he had eaten the ſour Fruit of the forbidden Tree, Ezek. 18.2. The ſame Hand that was reached forth to that forbidden Fruit, reached out both Sin and Death to the Fruit of his Loins wherein that Fruit was ſeminally, as the Branches are in a Common Stock; the actual Sin did not determine the bound of Miſery in himſelf, but it brought a ſecond Miſery with it, even the Miſery of the whole Nature of Mankind. Adam was the Repreſentative or publick Perſon repreſenting the whole maſs of Mankind, (as a Parliament-man repreſents the whole Country he is choſen for) while Adam ſtood, we all ſtood in him; while he kept his Obedience in his ſtate of Innocency, he kept his whole Eſtate and Nature ſafe and entire; but when he fell we all fell in him; in Adam all die, 1 Cor. 15.22. Tho' we did not chooſe him, yet God did chooſe him for us, as our Repreſentative; p. 8and his Sin was the greateſt Sin (next to that Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt) as it had many aggravations againſt the greateſt Light, and the greateſt Love that ever was vouchſafed to any man, and therefore it was juſt with God ſo to puniſh, not only himſelf, but his whole Nature alſo for that ſinful Act. Hereby all the Sons and Daughters of Adam came to be deprived of Original Righteouſneſs; we are all alienated from the Life of God, Eph. 4.18. born the Children of Wrath, Eph. 2.3. and come ſhort both of God's Glory, and of our own Duty, Rom. 3.23.

Adam firſt defiled the Nature of Mankind, and ever ſince the defiled Nature hath defiled the whole Off-ſpring thereof, leaving them under the Curſe of God, and liable unto Death in the latitude of it, even unto Death, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal: The Fall of Adam was the Death of himſelf, and the Death of us; yea, and alſo it was the Death of our dear Redeemer to redeem us from Spiritual and Eternal Death. Now as is the Root, ſo are the Branches; as is the Fountain, ſo are the Waters that flow from it: [Generatum ſequitur Naturam Generantis,] that which is begotten doth follow the Nature of that which begetteth; who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? p. 9not one, Job 14.4. that which is born of the Fleſh is Fleſh, Joh. 3.6. [Corruptus parit Corruptum] one corrupt thing brings forth another; yea, the Sower ſoweth clean Grain, yet even that brings forth Chaff, (as well as Wheat) from which it was winnowed before it was Sown.

Father Auguſtin ſaith, There is nothing more certain than Original Sin, yet nothing more ſecret and hard to be underſtood how it is conveyed from Parents to Children. Many Diſputes there be about the manner how Sin is propagated from Adam to his Off-ſpring; ſome of which deſerve no better Character than that of Ariſtotle de Vacuo [foreign] ſuch diſcourſes upon the empty place are but empty things: 'Tis ſufficient for us to know, that God by a juſt imputation doth realize the Infection into the whole Race of Adam, in whom we were, as in a common lump, and in his Leaven we are all ſowred. We know that leprous Parents do beget leprous Children, and there be Diſeaſes which are call'd hereditary, and incurable by man; we took this Infection from our Parents, and we tranſmit it to our Children; ſo come we to be called a Seed of Evil Doers, Children that are Corrupters, as well as corrupted, Iſai. p. 10c. 1. v. 4. I have read the ſtory of ſome fooliſh People, who falling all together into a deep Pit, fell a diſputing one with another how they came there, &c. but one wiſer than the reſt adviſed them to lay aſide thoſe Niceties, and rather conſult about ſome proper means whereby they might all be delivered out of that danger, without which they were in all probability like to periſh: Even ſuch are thoſe vain Ventilations about this abſtruce point of Sins entrance into the World, whether by that one perſon Adam's fall, or by every ones fall in his own perſon, the frothy Wits of the Arminians do fondly deny Original Sin. But ſuch as are wiſe to Salvation have learnt better Leſſons in Chriſt's School, and they feel otherwiſe in the School of their own ſmarting experience. Therefore we ought all ſeriouſly to conſider, how the Greek Fathers call it foreign, the Seed-plot of all Actual Tranſgreſſions, &c. and the Latin Fathers call it Fomes Peccati, the laſting Fewel that feeds the Fire of our burning Luſts; but above all, how the Holy Scriptures doth Charactarize it, calling it the Body of Sin, Rom. 6.6. and the Sin that dwells in us, Rom. 7.17. and the Law of the Members, ver. 23. and that which ſo eaſily beſets us, Hebr. 12.1. and p. 11David calls it the Iniquity of the Heels, (which was ready to trip him up, and to lay him all along upon the ground at every turn and return of the Tempter upon him) Pſal. 49.5. And if we do as little Zacheus did, namely, climb up the Sycamore Tree to take a full proſpect of his lovely Lord from top to toe, Luk. 19.3,4, &c. ſo if we get up into the Mount of the Old and New Teſtament, and take a full view of the foulneſs of Original Sin. The right Scriptural Account of Original Sin is this,

1. That man who had been God's delight before, Prov. 8.31. became both hated of God, Pſal. 5.5. and an hater of God, Rom. 1.30. the Greek is foreign, ſignifying to hate God as Hell.

2. That faln man is become intenſively evil, protenſively only evil, and extenſively always and continually evil in the thoughts and imaginations of his heart, Gen. 6.5.

3. That man's Heart is deceitful above all things, and deſperately wicked, Jer. 17.9.

4. His Thoughts are Thoughts of iniquity, Iſa. 59.7.

5. He walks in the vanity of his Mind, Epheſ. 4.17. having his underſtanding darkned, and his Heart blinded, ver. 18.

6. His Conſcience is defiled, Tit. 1.15.

p. 127. His Eyes are full of Adultery, and he cannot ceaſe from Sin, 2 Pet. 2.14.

8. His Throat an open Sepulchre, the poiſon of Aſps upon his Tongue and Lips, &c. Rom. 3.13,14.

9. In a word, all mans Members and Faculties are marr'd and maim'd by the fall of Adam (as might more largely be demonſtrated from Scripture) the firſt man defiled Nature, and ever ſince Nature hath defiled every man; his whole Frame is out of frame; whole evil is in man, and whole man is in evil: As in Noah's Flood, not any one part of the Earth could be ſeen dry. So nor any one part of man can be found that is not infected with this Original Pollution; and the chief cauſe of all our Actual Sins, is charged, not upon Satan, but upon this Evil Concupiſcence that is inbred in us, Jam. 1.15. The Tempter might ſtrike Fire long enough in vain, if we did not find him dry Tinder for his Sparks to fall upon: We cannot ſay as our ſinleſs Lord ſaid [the Prince of this World cometh and finds nothing in me,] that is, to favour his Temptation, Joh. 14.30. But alas, when he comes to tempt us, he finds a Treacherous Party within, this Birth-ſin of ours, which betrays us oftentimes into his hands, as hath hapned unto ſome p. 13Cities beſieged, whoſe Gates have been opened by ſome Traiterous Citizens within for a free entrance of the Enemy that were beſieging it round about. Hence is it, that all men are ſaid in Holy Scripture to be dead in ſin, Epheſ. 2.1. and Bondſlaves to Satan, Heb. 2.15. and ſubject to all Calamities of this Life under the Curſe of God, Gal. 3.10. Yea and good men, even the beſt of men are but men at the beſt; for Original Sin in them is ſtronger than their Grace; for if God ſhould leave us with our ſtock of Grace that he hath graciouſly given us, and let us be alone but a while in the hands of our own Counſels, this ſin of our Nature would eaſily ſwallow up our ſtock of Grace; wo to us when God departs from us, Hoſ. 9.12. The Reaſon is, becauſe Grace given to us is like the putting of Hot Water into that which is Cold: Tho' this will warm it for the preſent, yet the Water will reduce it ſelf into its own natural temper of Coldneſs, unleſs Fire be kept continually under it. Take another Example, as a River would run (caeter…s paribus) the nigheſt way to the Sea…, (which is the Receptacle of all Rivers) were it let alone to its own tendency by nature; but we ſee the various ſituation of the Earth, (in ſome places higher than p. 14others) and by the Art and Induſtry of Man the moſt Rapid River is madd to run in crooked Streams (in and out) to break its forcible paſſage; even ſo this Original Sin would drive all perſons the nigheſt way to Hell, were it not that it meets with not only the ſeveral Tempers and Diſpoſitions of Nature in the Sons and Daughters of Mankind, which makes it work variouſly according to their various Conſtitutions, as David ſaith [I have kept my ſelf from my iniquity] Pſal. 18.23. that is, from my Conſtitution ſin, &c. but alſo, and that more eſpecially, through the over-ruling Power of God, and that by two ways; 1. Either by giving Reſtraining Grace, even to Pagans, as he did to that Pagan King Abimelech, Gen. 20.6. whereby God kept him at a modeſt diſtance from medling with Sarah, Abraham's wife, which otherwiſe he would have undoubtedly defiled, ſeeing ſo many Kings (tho' called Chriſtian) make it their too common practice; or, 2. By giving Renewing Grace, even to his own choſen and called ones, whereby he changeth their Natures ſo, that one of the Antient Fathers tells this Story of a Young Man, who had been for ſome time intangled with an Harlot, and meeting with ſome Remorſe of Conſcience, he withdrew from her upom ſomep. 15occaſions he had in another Country, and after a …ittle time returning home, this impudent Whore meets him, takes hold of him, and ſaid to him [Ego ſum Ego] I am the ſame Woman I was when you left me; at which he ſmartly replied to her, [ſed ego non ſum ego] but I am not the ſame Man I was, through the Grace of God, whereby he ſaid with David [The Snare is broken, and my Soul is delivered] Pſa. 124.7. therefore if any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature, old things are paſt away, behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. 5.17. VVhere Chriſt comes, he ſaith, [Behold I make all things new] Rev. 21.5. both all the Members of the Body, and all the Faculties of the Soul: Theſe all were formerly [foreign] weapons of wickedneſs unto ſin, but now become weapons of Righteouſneſs unto Holineſs, Rom. 6.13,17,18,19. ſo that Chriſt makes new underſtandings, new wills, new memories, new conſciences, &c. in the inner man; yea and new tongues, hands and feet, &c. to talk, walk and work for God in the outward man.

☞ Let this likewiſe be well weighed, how this Original pollution of the faln Nature is like the firſt Confuſed Chaos at the Creation of the World, which had the ſeeds of all ſeveral kinds of Creatures inp. 16it, and that prolifick Vertue continues unto this day; even ſo in Original Sin, lays the Spawn of all ſeveral kinds of ſins which laſteth all our lives, until death deſtroy this body of Death at the laſt, as the other will laſt while the World laſteth: So This fretting Leproſie of ſin is typically deſcribed in the Law of that Plague, Levit. 14.41.43,44,45. The houſe which hath that Contagion, all the ſcraping of the Walls within it will not cleanſe it until the houſe it ſelf, with the Stones and Timber of it be broken down, yea and it begins betimes as well as it laſts long. This ſour Leaven doth leaven the whole lump with its ſowrneſs, and ſpreads it ſelf over all the Ages of Man, as Infancy, Childhood, Youth, and old Age. 1. Infancy. Auſtin's ſtory [Vidi Zelantem parvulum:] I my ſelf ſaw a little one riſe up in Rage againſt his fellow-ſuckling for beguiling him of his Mothers Milk; from whence that Antient Father proves and confeſſes, that ſin began betimes both in himſelf and in others. 2. Childhood; there is much folly bound up in the heart of a Child, Prov. 22. v. 15. as fardles or packs are bound upon the Carriers Horſes back, and theſe bonds of Iniquity keeps him faſt in the gall of bitterneſs, Acts 8.23. ſo makes not only Childhood, but alſo, 3. Youth to be not only p. 17Vanity, but likewiſe often abounds with Villany, Eccleſ. 11.9,10. with 12.1. where the Preacher preſſeth upon Youth to indulge themſelves in their youthful luſts, if they dare do ſo, adding a ſtinging [But] which marrs the Yonkers mirth, God will judge thee for all thy Tricks of youth; account them not Trifles, which both Job and David ſo bitterly bewailed, Job 13.26. and Pſal. 25.7. Therefore he exhorts ſuch to remember their Creators at that time, as Pſal. 119.9. before 4ly. Old Age come, which is an Evil Age both for ſin and miſery.

But more plainly, this Truth of Man's Malady and Danger is held forth in that Text [The ſtrong Man armed, &c.] which declares Man's Malady and Danger, Luke 11.21. where Satan is deſcribed, 1. By his Kind or Sex, neither a weak Worm, or a weak Woman, but a Man, one of the ſtronger Sex, and not of the weaker. 2. By his Quality, a ſtrong Man, foreign, one that can do all things, Phil. 4.13. where the word is uſed Ben Chaiil, Heb. a Man of Valour, ſo ſtrong, that he is able to Trudge over all the World in his Travels, notwithſtanding his long continuance in this round walk, he walk'd it in Job's days, Job 1.7. & 2.2. as he ſays of himſelf, when God ſummons him in to appear before him, as in his High Court of Juſtice, and he held p. 18on the ſame, walking round about without wearineſs, even in Peter's days, 1 Pet. 5.8. the word is foreign, a Peripatetick, as before; yea and he holds up ſtill in the ſame walk and work, even in our days; for who among us cannot experience that a buſie Devil, and a baſe Heart, do not daily meet together to work us Woe in our Way to Heaven. This he ſtill is able to do on Earth, tho' he was hurl'd out of Heaven (as Jude verſe 6.) now almoſt ſix thouſand years ago; yea and he will carry on the ſame Curſed Courſe, even to the end of the Old World, until our Lord come to lay hold upon this Old Dragon, and bind him for a thouſand years, and ſo ſhut him up, and ſet a Seal upon him that he ſhould deceive the Nations no more, till the 1000 years be fulfilled, and after that he muſt be looſed a little ſeaſon, Rev. 20.3. We read indeed of a ſort of Philoſophers that are call'd Peripateticks (which ſignifies Round Walkers) but none like this ſtrong Trudgover, who hath not only out-laſted and out-lived, but alſo (as it may be fear'd) hath finally deceived all thoſe Pagan Peripateticks, &c. 3. He is deſcribed by his Qualifications; he is not only thus qualified as a ſtrong Traveller, but alſo as a ſtrong Warriour, therefore he is ſaid to be [foreign] i. e. Armed, and not barely p. 19ſo, for foreign in compoſition ſignifies Valdè or Validè, compleatly Armed, ſuch are his Accoutrements and Habiliments of War, that he is Armed Cap-a-pee (as the phraſe is) a Capite ad Calcem, from Head to Foot; ſo that he is (as Achilles was ſaid to be) in all parts impenetrable, and not only ſo, but as he is a Spirit he is impaſſive alſo, as to man; for 'tis neither man's Words, nor man's Blows that can wound this Spiritual Adverſary, who is hereupon found to be the more mortal an Enemy to man's Soul and Salvation. Of this point I have ſpoke in the beginning of this Chapter. If it be farther enquired how this ſtrong Adverſary is armed? To this I anſwer in general, He is verily a Goliah, an Achitophel and a Doeg, all in one together; more particularly,

1. He is Armed with an Arm of Strength as Goliah was, ſo it may be ſaid to the beſt of men, what Saul ſaid to David, 1 Sam. 17.33. thou art not able to fight with this Philiſtin, for thou art but a Stripling, and he a Man of War from his Youth; as Amnon was too ſtrong for Tamar, and ſo Raviſhed her, &c. 2 Sam. 13.12,13. And as the Betrothed Damſel could not ſtand before a man that roſe up againſt her in the Field, Deut. 22.26,27,28. Even ſo is this matter, no man, not thep. 20beſt of men, (who are but men at the beſt, as before) can be able to match this matchleſs Goliah, no more than the ſilly Dove without Heart or Grace, (as Ephraim is called, Hoſ. 7.11.) can match the ſtrong Eagle, or the ſimple Lamb the fierce Lion, &c. no more can any man (who is but a poor worm, Pſal. 22.6.) make any effectual Reſiſtance againſt this Prince, Fowl of the Air, Epheſ. 2.2. or againſt this Roaring Lion, who hath ſtill his concreated Strength of an Angel, Zech. 12.8. for tho' he loſt by his fall in his Morals, yet not in his Naturals, he is ſo ſtrong ſtill (ſaith Luther) that he is able to deſtroy the whole World in the ſpace of one hour, if the Lord would but permit him to lay forth his Angelical (or rather Diabolical) Strength to the utmoſt for ſuch an end. This ſtrong man hath conquered all Perſons, (yea even Adam, Samſon and Solomon, as before) and all People, all Nations and Languages; he hath with Saul ſlain his thouſands, and with David his ten thouſands, yea and with the Harlot, Prov. 7.26. hath caſt down and wounded both the many and the mighty: He is the Maſter of Harlots, as Rome is called the Mother of Harlots, Rev. 17.5. Nor do we find in any Age of the World, that any meer Mortal Manp. 21was ever able to match him at all times by any ſtrength of his own, none but that God-Man Jeſus Chriſt was ever able to ſtand before him: yet is it worth our obſervation; Oh! what a prevailing Power had this ſtrong man, (by Divine Permſſion) even over the pure ſinleſs Body of our Saviour himſelf; firſt in driving it into the Wilderneſs, Mark 1.12,13. then in hugging it up to the top of the Pinacle of the Temple, Matt. 4.5. and then in carrying it up likewiſe unto the top of an exceeding high Mountain, Matt. 4.8. wherein this ſtrong man did far out-do Goliah, who could not do ſo to David's Body. Nevertheleſs Chriſt became the ſtronger man, (as he is called) Luk. 11.22. and did conquer him compleatly in all his three Temptations.

2. As Satan is a Goliah for Strength and Power, ſo he is an Achitophel for Craft and Policy; he can over-wit us as well as over-power us: 'Tis ſaid [now the Serpent was more ſubtle than all the Beaſts of the Field] Gen. 3.1. So that old Serpent the Devil, (as he is called, Rev. 12.9. and 20.2.) is more crafty than all Mortals in the World; this muſt needs be becauſe the Wit of the Angelical Nature doth vaſtly tranſcend the Wit of the beſt Humane Nature. Inſomuch as his Wit isp. 22not ſo clogged and clouded with fleſhly impediments, which oft make the Mind of man to become a dim, dark and confuſed Chaos, by impriſoning the Truth and detaining it in unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 1.18. that is, the knowledge of Truth ſometimes is (as it were) ſo locked up under reſtraint, that our Conſciences (which are as a Prophet to the ſoul of man) may not trouble us in our ſecure ſinning againſt the Lord; whereas the Wit and Underſtanding of Satan may be called Spiritual as he is a Spirit, and not fettered with Fleſh, (as we are) therefore acts more freely and without diſturbance, ſo is more quick and piercing, whereby he can more eaſily feel the Pulſes of mankind, and fit them all a ſuitable Temptation unto every Perſon's Natural Temper; he well knew what an Apple would do to Eve, what a Grape would do to Noah, what a Wedge of Gold would do to Achan, what a Talent of Silver would do to Gehazi; and many more ſuch inſtances might be added, all to ſhew how Satan is foreign, ingenioſe nequam, wittily wicked in preparing penniworths for all Perſons according to their ſeveral Conditions and Diſpoſitions; and what he cannot carry and conquer by ſtrength, he will do it by ſubtilty; having not only the wit of an p. 23Angel, but alſo the wiſdom of a God, as he is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. NB. Obſerve how the Holy Scripture deſcribes his Furniture.

1. He hath his foreign, which ſignifies Sophiſtical Counſels, pretending one thing, and intending another, [leſt Satan ſhould beguile and get an advantage againſt us, for we are not ignorant of his devices,] 2 Cor. 2.11. where the Apoſtle uſeth [foreign] for getting advantage, which ſignifies to over-reach in Bargains, for getting more gain than belongs to him, this Satan doth; when that Serpent would hurt and deſtroy thoſe herbs of grace that grow in God's Holy Mountain, and will not be confined to feed upon Duſt, (the World that lies in wickedneſs) which is his limited Diet, Iſa. 65.25. Satan had got an advantage againſt the Church of Corinth in their over-rigorous Diſcipline againſt the Inceſtuous Perſon, 2 Cor. 2.7. And now he cautions them, that this grand Cheater may not cheat them alſo in the exerciſe of their Gifts and Graces one toward another, ver. 10, 11.

2. Satan hath his foreign, which ſignifies a cunning crafty dealing among mankind; thus the ſame Apoſtle uſeth this phraſe to the ſame Church, ſaying [I am jealous over you with a godly jealouſie, p. 24&c. for I fear, leſt by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his ſubtilty (or cunning Craft), ſo your Minds ſhould be corrupted from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt] 2 Cor. 11.2,3. Intimating that Satan is an old Sophiſter and Blood-Sucker (who devoureth not Widows Houſes with the Phariſees, but the pretious ſouls of moſt Parſons) hath had the long experience of ſome thouſands of years, and knew then well enough how to over-wit, and over-reach them in that time; therefore doth he thus caution them to be upon their watch againſt his wily Craft. How much more is this Old Doctor in our Day (now almoſt 6000 years old) ſtrong in his ſo long experiences to feel the pulſes of all Perſons after the moſt critical manner, and the better to ſuit every ones Humour and Diſpoſition, he underſtands what hath been ſucceſsful, and what not. Hence it is, that he ſo ſeldom miſcarrieth in any of his Diabolical Attempts, unleſs it be when our dear Redeemer (the ſtronger Man) doth engage himſelf againſt him for us.

3. Satan hath likewiſe his foreign, his Wiles and Methods as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, [Finally, my Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, put on the whole armour of God, that yep. 25may be able to ſtand againſt the Wiles of the Devil,] Epheſ. 6.11. this Greek word for Methods or Wiles, is derived of foreign and foreign, that is, by the way, becauſe of his way-layings with his Stratagems and Ambuſhments which are oft more ſucceſsful than force of Arms, as Joſh. 8.2,5,15, &c. the Greek Word is an Alluſion unto Dan's Adder in the path, Gen. 49.17. So doth this Serpent, he lies lurking in the way, and bites the Heels of Paſſengers, whereby he transfuſes his poiſon to the very Head and Heart. The Holy Patriarch Jacob compared his Son to an Adder, foreſeeing by his Spirit of Prophecy, how the Tribe of Dan would ſubtilely and ſuddenly ſurprize the men of Laiſh, who lived ſecurely and careleſly, having no Magiſtrate (or Heir of Reſtraint, Hebr.) to put them unto ſhame, Judg. 18.7,10. Even ſo and much more than ſo, doth that Old Serpent Satan ſet upon ſuch Souls as are moſt lull'd aſleep in the Cradle of carnal Security: He hath the ſudden jumps of a Lion ſometimes, and when the Lion's Hide will not ſerve his turn in his jumping Aſſaults, he can then piece it with the Fox's Skin, or with the Serpent's Slough; ſo that when the ſudden jumps of a Lion do fail him, he hath ſtill the ſecret lurkings of a Serpent,p. 26his ſubtle windings and turnings to circumvent us, and to aſſault us at unawares, and to ſet upon us unexpectedly on our Backs, with his furious Conveyances, as he did upon David when he thought his Mountain was ſo ſtrong, that he could never be moved, Pſal. 30.6,7. yet how did this ſubtle Serpent ſecretly convey his Venom into his Heart, not only in the matter of both his Adultery and Murder, 2 Sam. 11.4,27. but alſo when this Satan provoked David to number the people at the latter end of his Reign, 1 Chron. 21.1. Provoked, that is, Satan would not let him reſt, till he had prevailed.

In the third place I come to ſhew how this ſtrong man Satan is not only a Goliah for Strength and Power, as alſo an Achitophel for Craft and Policy, but likewiſe a Doeg for Malice and Miſchief; he is a more mighty Hunter than the great Nimrod, Gen. 10.9. who died ſome thouſands of years ago; but this cruel Hunter lived long before Nimrod, even from the beginning of the World, and lives ſtill, yea and is like to laſt until the laſt end of the World, and therefore he is called Kako-Daemon, the Envious One, or Enemy, foreign, Matt. 13.25,28. having many curſed Properties. As

1. He is antiently Malicious, thereforep. 27our Lord calls him a Murderer from the Beginning, Joh. 8.44. he hath drove this damnable Trade from Adam till now.

2. This malignant Adverſary is miſchievouſly Malicious, he ſeeks not whom he may ſcratch, or bite, or wound only, but whom he may devour, (as before) 1 Pet. 5.8. How maliciouſly Miſchievous he is to the Body of Man, as in the caſe of that miſerable Demoniack, whole Body he violently threw into thoſe two mercileſs Elements, ſometimes into the Fire, and ſometimes into the Water, yea and cutting and rending it when he was conſtrained to leave it, Mark 9.22. How miſchievous he is alſo to the Eſtates of Men, as he was to Job's Eſtate, which he deſtroyed by Fire and Storms, &c. as he was afterwards to his Body, ſmiting it with Biles from top to Toe, and every Bile (or Blain) (the Rabbins ſay) had each of them a Devil in them: Moreover (to mention no more inſtances) ſee how maliciouſly Miſchievous was Satan likewiſe unto Job's good Name, which he would have blaſted even to the All-knowing God, in calling Job God's ſelf-ſeeking Servant; as if Job had been only byaſſed with the gain of his Godlineſs; thus he did ſordidly calumniate what he could not poſſibly contradict: How was it then, that Clodiusp. 28accuſat Moechos, Vice it ſelf undertook to correct but a falſely called Sin: Whereas the bleſſedneſs of an Angel (wherewith Satan was at firſt created) could not engage himſelf to continue the Servant of his Creator as the Holy Angels which fell not with him, did and do ſo to this day: But more eſpecially he is miſchievous to the Souls of Mankind. It may be ſaid that the Sword of this Strong Man reacheth even unto the very ſoul, as Jer. 4.10. He both ſlaſhes and wounds the Soul, and doth ambitiouſly aſpire like Lucifer to be like the Moſt High, Iſa. 14.14. and to have a power to kill the Soul (as well as Body, Eſtate and Good Name) which is God's Prerogative only, Matt. 10.28. However his main Mark Satan aimeth at is to procure evil againſt our Souls, Jer. 26.19. and therefore as the Syrians were commanded to fight againſt neither ſmall nor great, but againſt the King of Iſrael, 2 Chron. 18.30. So our fleſhly luſts are thoſe Syrians and Soldiers whom Satan commands to war principally againſt the precious Soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. and his Malice is moſtly to be miſchievous to Saints more than to Sinners; for he tempted David (a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13.14.) to groſſer and greater ſins than ever he did, not only Saul, who diedp. 29in his Sin, even of ſelf-murder, yet never fell into ſuch foul acts of ſin as David did, but alſo than ever he did tempt Ahab, tho' he ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, 1 King. 21.25. yet this none-ſuch Sinner was only tempted to covet his Neighbours Vineyard, and not his Neighbours Wife, yea and life too, as David did. The reaſon is this, becauſe Satan is ſatisfied with the evil ſtate that Sinners remain in, ſo he needs not to tempt them to evil Acts, well knowing, that ſuch Actions will as naturally flow from them, as Water doth from a Fountain: Thus David ſaith to Saul [wickedneſs proceedeth (even naturally) from the wicked] 1 Sam. 24.13. as if they needed no Tempter, but will Tempt themſelves, Jam. 1.14,15. Satan matters not for Actions, but only where he cannot ſecure perſons and ſtill keep them captive in an evil State. NB. This Reaſon may be rendred, why ſome civil Moraliſts do lead more blameleſs and more ſpotleſs lives, than ſome Saints and ſanctified Souls, (who ſometimes may be left of God to Satan's buffeting Meſſengers to humble them, as 2 Cor. 12.7,8.) becauſe 'tis enough for the Temper to know that theſe meer moral men do ſtill abide in a Chriſtleſs-ſtate, but as to ſuch as are delivered from the power of Belial, p. 30and are tranſlated into the Kingdom of Grace, Col. 1.12,13,14. Thoſe be they againſt whom this Envious One is moſt maliciouſly miſchievous, and when he ſees that he cannot keep them from Heaven, he will do them all the miſchief he poſſibly can; he will ſend them (if poſſible) even haulting to Heaven. Herein Pharaoh (that Dragon of Egypt, ſo called, Ezek. 29.3. was a Type and Figure of this old Red Dragon the Devil, who was calm and quiet enough with God's Iſrael, while he found they could be content to be his Bond-ſlaves in Mortar-Work, &c. but when they begin to be gone out of his Kingdom, &c. then he rages and purſues them with his Chariots and Horſemen, &c. As Pharaoh purſued Iſrael as they were paſſing towards the Earthly Canaan, ſo Satan purſueth us in our paſſage towards the Heavenly Canaan; and as Pharaoh in his purſuit of Iſrael was at length drowned in the Red-Sea: So this may be for ſtrong Conſolation to us, that this Saint-purſuing Satan ſhall at laſt be drowned in the Red-Sea of our bleſſed Saviour's Blood; for we are told to our Comfort, that our Redeeming Angel will come down from Heaven, having the Key of the bottomleſs Pit, and a great Chain in his hand, and will lay hold on the Dragon, that old p. 31Serpent, the Devil, and not only bind him for a thouſand years, but he will caſt him likewiſe into the lake of Fire and Brimſtone, where he (together with the Beaſt, and the Falſe Prophet) ſhall be tormented day and night for ever and ever, Rev. 20.1,2,3, and 10, verſes. In the mean time we muſt expect, that this Serpent and Dragon will be ſpetting forth the Poiſon of his Malice againſt us; for ſuch is his Malice to all the Saints, that he will firſt tempt them to Sin, and then he will accuſe them for Sin; as it is ſtoried of the Ruſſians, they are ſo malicious one againſt another, that ſometimes a man will hide ſome of his own Goods in the Houſe of him whom he hateth, and then accuſe him for the ſtealing of them; juſt ſo doth the Devil deal many times with God's deareſt Servants; thus Joſeph's Steward firſt foiſted his Lord's Cup into Benjamin's Sack, and then accuſed him for ſtealing it, Gen. 44.2,4. So that tempted Souls may ſay to Satan, (when he would tempt them to ſin, and after will accuſe them of ſin) as the young Soldier ſaid to Joab his General, [Tho' I ſhould receive a thouſand Shekels of Silver, yet will I not dare to do what thou (Satan) would draw me into, for the King of Kings hath charged me to the contrary; andp. 32ſhould I do otherwiſe, I ſhall then work falſhood againſt my own life; for there is no matter that can be hid from the King, and thou thy ſelf would ſet thy ſelf againſt me, 2 Sam. 18.12,13, &c. Thus Satan dealt with Jehoſhua the High-Prieſt, accuſing him for wearing thoſe very Garments that himſelf had ſoiled, Zech. 3.1,2,3,4. yea, and thus Satan dealt with our Dear Saviour himſelf, to whom he made an offer of his giving to him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glories of them, if he would fall down and worſhip him, Matt. 4.8. yet afterwards this Accuſer of the Brethren (as he is called Rev. 12.10.) doth by his Inſtruments accuſe our Lord for aſpiring after one of the leaſt of thoſe Kingdoms of the World, namely, that little Kingdom of Judaea, Matt. 27.11,29,37. and this is the Tempters Method with all tempted Souls; he will always extenuate ſin in the time of his Temptation to it, but after the Commiſſion of it, he will aggravate it in his accuſation for it, that he may drive the Soul into deſpair, &c. Thus he dealt with King Saul, whom he firſt perſuaded to ſpare Amalek, under the notion of a good Deed or Work of Mercy; hereby he tempted him, and prevailed to ſpare King Agag, and the fatteſt of the Flock, p. 331 Sam. 15.8,9. Yet this ſame Satan comes to Saul in the likeneſs of Samuel, and notoriouſly aggravates this Action (which before he had preſented to him in a plauſible Dreſs of candour and kindneſs to the Creature, &c.) and ſets it home with weight upon Saul's Conſcience; eſpecially when he ſaw him almoſt overwhelmed with deepeſt Diſtreſſes, now repreſenting the ſame Action as moſt horrible, heinous and damning, and all to drive him down at-once into the Pit of Deſperation, 1 Sam. 28.11,19,20. And thus by Divine permiſſion the Devil deals with many Souls, which are far more dear to God, than this Saul was, &c.

Hereby the third curſed property of this Doeg the Devil is made manifeſt, namely, that he is not only antiently, maliciouſly, but alſo univerſally miſchievous to all Mankind, even to all Saints, and to all Sinners, at the leaſt intentionally againſt every individual perſon of both ſorts, only with this difference; as firſt for Sinners, he makes them to become his Hackney-Horſes, according to Tertullian's phraſe [Impii perſecutores inſeſſorem Diabolum habent] all wicked Perſecutors have the Devil Riding upon their backs, whom he whips and ſpurrs end-ways into an high Gallop, even all the days of their lives, andp. 34then, when the Night of their Deaths comes upon them, he lodges them at laſt in the Hot Stables of Hell: And thus Satan made Saul his Hackney, upon whom he ſat as his Rider, and ſpurr'd him forward for many days in his perſecuting of David, and to whom he gave but this very cold Comfort at his Death [To morrow thou ſhalt be with me, &c.] 1 Sam. 28.19,20. which indeed was no better a place to lodge his Hackney in at his Night of Death, than in the Hot Rooms of Hell-fire. But ſecondly, As to the Saints (who are not the Devil's Vaſſals as Sinners are, but be indeed the Impropriated and Honourable Veſſels of their dear Redeemer) Satan will do all the miſchief he can to thoſe Vaſa ſignatu, or Sealed Veſſels, as Tertullian calls them; thoſe he cannot touch with any of his Deadly Touches [Non Tactu qualitativo] as Cajetan interpreteth [The wicked one toucheth him not] 1 John 5.19. He cannot cauſe them to fall finally. The Serpent is confined to feed upon the Duſt or Dirt of the Earth (that is, the wicked) he is not allowed to devour the Herbs of Grace, or to deſtroy any Plants on God's holy Mountain, Iſa. 65.25. God hath ſet the godly man apart for himſelf, Pſal. 4.3. and God's charge is upon the God of this World (as the Devil is call'd, p. 352 Cor. 4.4. as well as upon the Kings of the Earth, to whom thoſe words were ſpoken [Touch not mine Anointed ones, and do my Prophets no harm] Pſal. 105.15. To ſay, this is ſpoken of Kings, and not to Kings, is a falſe interpretation. How far this wicked one may touch a Saint of God, and that maliciovſly and miſchievouſly; yea how far he touched our Saviour himſelf, is aboveſaid. Now the Enquiry is, ſeeing Satan is ſo univerſally miſchievous both to Saints, as well as to Sinners, how far Satan can force a Saint to ſin againſt God? Anſ. We have all great cauſe to bleſs the Lord our good God, that this Power of Darkneſs cannot force us to any work of Darkneſs; no, God hath left this Power of conſtraining us to ſin out of the Devil's Charter; he hath no Commiſſion to force the Will of Man; he hath indeed a perſwading ſleight, but he hath not any enforcing might. 'Tis true, we read [that Satan provoked David to ſin againſt God] 1 Chron. 21.1. that is, he ſo dogg'd David daily with his Temptation, and would never let him alone in any Reſt, until he had faſtned it upon his heart, and gained his conſent. However, the Great God had his holy hand in all this, who ſtill held this Dog, this Doeg, the Devil, in his Chain, 2 Sam. 24.1, God did, and Satan did alſo, p. 36but how? it was thus, God was angry with Iſrael for abuſing their Peace and Plenty, &c. and with David for his privy Pride and Creature-confidence, ſo he lets looſe his Dog the Devil upon David, and he left David to himſelf ſo, as at laſt after his being very long provoked unto this curioſity of numbring the People, he yielded his conſent to that Satanical ſuggeſtion, which brought the Deſtroying Angel upon his ſinful Subjects, like as the Dog may be ſaid to Bait the Beaſt at the Stake, while the owner of the Baſt doth ſtand by, looks on, and ſuffers his Beaſt to be Baited. This plain ſimilitude may ſerve to explain the difficulty, and to underſtand aright, that tho' it be ſaid, that God moved David, and Satan moved him likewiſe, yet theſe two phraſes are not contradictory. Terms; they are not Adverſe, but only Diverſe, the latter being ſubordinate to the former, as all 2d Cauſes are ſubaltern, to the firſt Cauſe. But ſtill Satan is held in God's Chain, and he cannot without Divine permiſſion do the leaſt damage to the Soul of a Saint; he cannot force us to ſin, with all his moſt powerful provocations, as appeareth moſt plainly in the caſe of Job, againſt whom Satan made ſo many violent and furious Thruſts to make him curſe God to his face; yet couldp. 37he not conquer Job with all his provocations; but this good man comes off at laſt with flying Colours, and by the help of his God gets his Tempter trodden under his feet, as Rom. 16.20. And tho' the beginning of the Conflict and Combat was Satan's, yet the End in the Conqueſt was the Lord's; as 'tis ſaid, James 5.11. This therefore may be very comfortable for us ſeriouſly to conſider, that the Tempter may ſtrike fire long enough to no purpoſe, if we do not meet him with Dry Tinder for his ſparks to fall upon; for it is our own Concupiſcence that carries the chiefeſt ſway; 'tis our own carnal Corruptions wherewith we are drawn aſide and enticed, James 1.14,15. where the word is [foreign] which ſignifies, we are caught as the ſilly Fiſh by the Fiſher-man's Bait. Satan is a crafty Fiſher, and knows what Baits will beſt tempt and take every ones Conſtitution and Humour; and tho' Satan be a Spirit, and therefore can have commerce with our Spirits, yea and may fix vain thoughts upon our fancies, yet he cannot force the Conſent of the Will thereunto; for as he cannot know the Heart, (which is only God's prerogative, Acts 1.24.) ſo he cannot compel the heart much leſs to any act of ſin, unleſs the Eve in us doth betray us into the Tempters p. 38hands, as Adam hearkned unto the Voice of his Wife, Gen. 3,17. Thus every Son and Daughter of Adam hath ſtill an Eve (his Tempter) in their own boſoms, and if Satan's Temptation do fall paſſively only on our part upon the Tables of our hearts; it is indeed our Croſs, but not our ſin, if we conſent not to it; for 'tis our conſent to it, that makes it our ſin; as it was in the caſe of Benjamin before-ſaid; he never conſented to the putting of the Divining Cup into the mouth of his Sack; ſo it was his croſs only, but not at all his ſin: Therefore ought we in an hour of Temptation to do theſe two great Duties.

1ſt. To give no place to the Tempter, Eph. 4.27. no, not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. by way of ſubjection. And,

2ly. To reſiſt him, and he will flee from from us, James 4.7. eſpecially if we reſiſt him ſtedfaſt in the Faith, 1 Pet. 5.8,9. even with a Reſolved Negative, No, No, &c. However, ſuch is Satan's Hatred to all the Saints, that he will be univerſally miſchievous to them, and do them all the Damage and Detriment that he poſſibly can do; and as we may learn from the Story of Balaam the Southſayer (who was Satan's Servant, when he cannot curſe the whole Camp of Iſrael, he will do his utmoſt endeavour to curſe p. 39ſome part thereof, Numb. 23.13,27.

The 4th Curſed Character and Property of this Adverſary of Mankind is, he is unceſſantly as well as univerſally miſchievous. 'Tis ſaid of the Scorpion, that there is no minute of Time, wherein he doth not thruſt out his Sting, but he keeps it in a continual motion for a ſpeedy poiſoning of all whatſoever he can reach with it as before; even ſo this Old Serpent or Scorpion the Devil, is reſtleſs night and day, and puts forth his poiſonful Sting without ceaſing to wound us in our Heels (according to his Commiſſion, Gen. 3.15.) that thereby he may transfuſe his Venom from our Heels to our Hearts, &c. And 'tis his conſtant cuſtom to Aſſault us both ſleeping and waking, for he keeps no holy day (as the Vulgar ſaying is) nor will he make any Truce, or Ceſſation of Arms with us; and he will ſet upon us, both in our Natural, and in our Civil Actions; yea and moſt of all in thoſe that are Religious. He doth not only tempt us to exceſs in our Food and Raiment; but he will diſturb us alſo in the Duties of our particular Callings, yet higher above all we meet with moſt Diſturbances in the Duties of our general Callings; ſo that we can never ſerve the Lord (either publickly or privately) without Diſtraction from this Adverſary,p. 401 Cor. 7.35. Neither Week-day nor Sabbath-day; nay, upon the Sabbath (which ſignifies a Reſt) is this Satan the moſt Reſtleſs; for while we are the buſieſt about God's Service, and the concerns of our Souls, then will he be a moſt Buſie Devil with our Baſe Hearts, to interrupt our Communion with Heaven, &c. This may have its Illuſtration from Drexelius his Viſion, whereof he gives us this account, [that he ſaw but one Devil at a Market upon the Week-day, but he ſaw ten Devils preſent at a Sermon upon the Sabbath-day] and being asked the reaſon of this difference of the number of Devils, the good old Man thus anſwered, That in a Market there was no need of any more than one Devil; for there one Man would tempt another faſt enough, the Buyer, the Seller, and the Seller the Buyer, &c. but at a Sermon, where all men do ſolemnly Devote themſelves to God's Worſhip, then ten Devils were few enough to diſtract them therein. Thus we read how Satan thruſt in among the Sons of God, Job 1.6. & 2.1. & 1 Kings 21.10,13. As Satan ever ſince the Fall of Lucifer never had Reſt, Matth. 12.43,44,45. ſo he never would have Reſt night or day, unleſs he be in a ſinner's heart, &c.

The 5th Curſed Character and Property p. 41of this our Adverſary, is, that he is likewiſe irreſiſtibly miſchievous as to any Humane Power for Reſiſting him. This is related before, how the Innocenteſt Man Adam, the ſtrongeſt Man Samſon, and the wiſeſt Man Solomon, were none of them able to reſiſt the Aſſaults of this ſtrong Man Armed; the reaſon is, becauſe his Angelical (tho' now Diabolical) Nature is too ſtrong for any mere Humane Nature, we are all as unable to withſtand him, (1.) As the feeble Flye is the cunning Spider, which moſt eaſily entangles her in his clammy Threads (ſpun out of his own bowels) whoſe firſt work is to intoxicate her (as ſoon as entangled) by infuſing his poiſon into her head, and then with more eaſe he draws her into his Den, and there he ſucks out her blood and her life both together. Nor are we poor Mortals more able to reſiſt this Strong Man Armed, than (2.) The ſilly Dove is to withſtand the furious Aſſaults of the ſtrong Eagle, &c. Thus the Devil is repreſented in Eph. 2.3. as a Prince-Fowl of the Air (who hath the upper ground of us ſorry Worms crawling upon the Earth) and prying about like a Bird of prey, to eſpy what ſilly Doves without hearts (or underſtandings, as Junius renders that, Hoſ. 7.11.) as are wandring abroad for him to be preyed upon, &c. p. 42Nor (3.) The ſimple Lamb can withſtand the furious Lion, when found wandring aſtray from the Sheepfold, &c. Theſe ſimilitudes do illuſtrate how Irreſiſtible is our Adverſary as to us, to which many more may be added; As (4.) He is like the Hunter with his Nets. (5.) Like the Fowler with his Snares. And (6.) Like the Fiſher-man with his Angling-Rods. All theſe do moſt eaſily over-power the Beaſts, the Birds, and the Fiſhes they meet with; and ſo doth Satan over-power us; yea and much more than ſo, inſomuch as he finds ſomething in us which betrays us into his hands; tho' it be otherwiſe ſaid of our ſinleſs Saviour, to whom Satan came and found Nothing in him, John 14.30.

The 6th Curſed Character of Satan, he is everlaſtingly miſchievous; as he was a Murderer from the beginning, John 8.44. ſo he will continue to be ſo to the end of the World, as is hinted before. Oh what a long Leaſe hath our Lord lent this Roaring Lion! The number of this Infernal Beaſt is much above the number of the Apocalyptick Beaſt, which was 666 years, Rev. 13.18. or that longer Leaſe of 1260 years, Rev. 11.3. This Beaſt hath already laſted above five thouſand years, and will ever laſt (out-living all the Sons and Daughters of Men) until Time ſhall be no more;p. 43for as he is a Spirit, ſo he cannot Die, as we mortals daily Die, &c. therefore Man's Malady and Danger is like to laſt ſo long as there is a Man living to be tempted by this everlaſting Tempter, until our Lord chain him up, &c.