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poisoned, and the heart wholly and continually evil. Satan can only persuade to sin by an artifice, he cannot compel to it by might; he may tempt us, but without ourselves he cannot conquer us; he may entice us, but without ourselves he cannot hurt us.

2. Satan hath a great hand in most sins. It was Satan that tempted our first parents to rebellion, Gen. iii. 1, 4, 5. that provoked David to number the people, 1 Chron. xxi. 1, that put Peter upon rebuking Christ; therefore saith Christ, "Get thee behind me Satan,' Mat. xvi. 22, 23.

'It was Satan that put Cain upon murdering of righteous Abel; therefore it is that he is called a murderer from the beginning. 1 John viii. 44. It was Satan that put treason into the heart of Judas against Christ. As the hand of Joab was in the tale of the woman of Tekoa, so Satan's hand is usually in all the sins that men commit.'

3. Satan must have a double leave before he can do any thing against us. 'He must have leave from God, and leave from ourselves, before he succeeds in any thing against our happiDess; he must have his commission from God, as you may see in the example of Job; though the devil bad malice enough to destroy him, yet he had not so much as power to touch him, till God gave him permission.' Job i. 11, 12, and ii. 3-5.

And as Satan must have leave from God, so he must have leave from us. When he tempts, we must assent; when he makes offers, we must hearken; when he commands, we must obey; or else all his labour and temptations will be in vain, and the evil he tempts us to shall be put down only to his account.' That is a remarkable passage in Acts v. 3,

The apostle doth not expostulate the matter with Satan. But he expostulates the case with Ananias. If when a temptation come, a man cry out, and say, Ah Lord! here is a temptation that would force me, that would pollute my soul, and I have no strength to withstand it; Oh! help, help, for thy honour's sake, for thy Son's sake, for thy promise' sake! It is a sign that Satan hath not gained your consent, but committed a rape upon your souls, which he shall dearly pay for.'

4. None but spiriritual weapons can be useful and serviceable to the soul in fighting and combating with the devil; this the apostle shews, Eph. vi. 13. 2 Cor. x. 4, You have not to do with a weak, but with a mighty enemy, and therefore you had need of mighty weapons, and that they cannot be, unless they are spiritual. Carnal weapons have no might nor spirit in them towards making a conquest upon Satan. It was not David's sling nor stone, that gave him the honour and advantage of setting his feet upon Goliath, but his faith in the name of the Lord of Hosts. 1 Sam. xvii. 45, He that fights

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against Satan, in the strength of his resolutions, constitution, or education will certainly fly and fall before him. The only way to stand, conquer, and triumph, is still to plead,' It is written, Mat. iv. 10. It is God that gives victory, and should be every Christian's motto. There is no sword, but the two-edged sword of the Spirit, that will be found to be proof, when a soul comes to engage against Satan: therefore when you are tempted to uncleanness, plead,' It is written, Be ye holy, as I am holy; and Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.' If he tempt you to distrust God's providence and fatherly care of you, plead, It is written. 1 Pet. i. 16. 2 Cor. vii. 1. Ps. xxxiv. 9.

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If he tempt you to fear, that you shall faint and fall, and never be able to reach the end of the race set before you, plead, It is written, 'The righteous shall hold on his way,' Ps. lxxxiv. 11. Job xvii. 9.

It is written, I will make an everlasting covenant with them,' &c. Jer. xxxii. 40.

It is written, They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength,' Is. xl. 31.

It is written, The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee,' &c. Is. liv. 7, 8, 12.

It is written, Can a woman forget her sucking child,' &c. Is. xlix. 15, 16.

5. God will shortly tread down Satan under the saints' feet. Christ our champion hath already taken the field, and will shortly set our feet upon the necks of our spiritual enemies. Satan is a foiled adversary, Christ hath led him captive, and triumphed over him upon the cross. Christ hath already overcome him, and put weapons into your hands, that you may overcome him also, and set your feet upon his neck. Though Satan be a roaring lion, yet Christ, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah, will make him fly and fall before you. The broken horns of Satan shall be trumpets of our triumph, and the cornets of our joy, &c.

CHAPTER II.

I now come to offer a few Reasons upon the Subject, and so draw to a close.

Reason 1. Is, that their hearts may be kept in an humble, praying, and, watchful frame. Hath Satan so many devices to ensnare and ruin the souls of men? How should this awaken drowsy souls, and make them stand upon their watch? A saint should be like a seraphim, having eyes behind and before, that he may avoid

Satan's snares, and stand fast in the hour of temptation.*

2. That they may be preserved from the malice and enmity that is in Satan, against the souls of men. Satan is full of envy and enmity, and that makes him so very studious to suit his snares and plots to the tempers, constitutions, fancies, and callings of men, that thereby he may make them as miserable as himself.

The Russians are so malicious, that they will hide some of their own goods in the house of one whom they hate, and then accuse him for theft. So Satan, from malice to the souls of men, hides his goods, as I may say, among them, and then accuses them before the Lord, &c.

3. Is, that the excellency and power of God's grace may be the more illustrated; that notwithstanding all the plots, devices, and stratagems of Satan, yet God will make them victorious here, and crown them with glory hereafter. The greater and the more subtle the enemies of the children of Israel were, the more brilliantly did Divine power, wisdom, and goodness shine; and that notwithstanding all their power, plots, and stratagems, &c. yet to Canaan they were brought

*The philosopher had a ball of brass in his hand, which if he chanced to sleep with, the fall into a bason awaked him to his studies. You are wise, and know how to apply it.

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