In the 6th verse he shews, that the punishment that was inflicted upon the incestuous person, was sufficient, and therefore they should not refuse to receive him who had repented, and sorrowed for his former faults and follies. It is not for the honour of Christ, the credit of the gospel, nor the good of souls, for professors to be like those bloody wretches, that burnt some that recanted at the stake, saying, That they would send them out of the world while they were in a good mind.'

In the 7, 8, 9, and 10 verses, the apostle stirs up the church to forgive him, to comfort him, and to confirm their love towards him, lest he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; Satan going about to mix the detestable darnel of desperation, with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart. It was a sweet saying of Jerome, 'Let a man grieve for his sin, and then joy for his grief;' that sorrow for sin that keeps the soul from looking towards the mercy-seat, and that keeps Christ and the soul asunder, or that renders the soul unfit for the communion of saints, is a sinful sorrow.

In the 11th verse, he lays down another reason to move them to shew pity to the penitent sinner, that was mourning under his sin and misery; i. e. 'Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.' A little for the opening of the words.

'Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, lest

Satan over-reach us. The comparison is taken from the greedy merchant, that seeketh and taketh all opportunities to beguile and deceive others. Satan is that wily merchant, that devoureth not widows' houses, but many souls.

We are not ignorant of Satan's devices, counsels, plots, machinations, or stratagems; he is but a titular Christian, that hath not personal experience of Satan's stratagems, his set and composed machinations, his artificially moulded methods, his plots, darts, and depths, whereby he outwitted our first parents, and puts the cheat upon us still, as he sees opportunity.

The main observation that I shall draw from these words, is this:

That Satan hath his several devices to deceive, entangle, and ruin the souls of men.' I shall,

1. Introduce the subject.

2. Shew you his several devices. And,
3. The remedies against his devices.

4. How it comes to pass, that he hath so many several devices to deceive, entangle, and ruin the souls of men.

5. I shall lay down some propositions concerning Satan's devices.

For the proof of the subject take these few scriptures, Ephes. vi. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.' The Greek

B

word that is here rendered wiles, is a notable emphatical word.

i. It signifies such treacheries as come upon one's back at unawares. It notes the method or way-layings of that old subtle serpent, who, like Dan's adder in the path, biteth the heels of passengers, and thereby transfuseth his venom to the head and heart. The word signifies an ambushment, or stratagem of war, whereby the enemy sets upon a man at unawares.

2. It signifies such snares as are set to catch us in our road: a man walks in his road, and thinks not of it; but suddenly he is taken by thieves, or falls into a pit, &c.

3. It signifies such as are purposely and craftily set for the taking the prey at the greatest advantage that can be; the Greek signifies properly a way-laying, circumvention, or going about, as they do which seek after their prey. Julian by his craft drew more from the faith, than all his persecuting predecessors could do by their cruelty. So Satan doth more hurt in his sheep's skin, than by roaring like a lion.

Take one scripture more for the proof of the subject, and that is in 2 Tim. ii. ult. And that they might recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.' The Greek word that is here rendered recover themselves, signifies to awake themselves; the apostle alludeth to one that is asleep, or drunk, who is to be awakened and restored

to his senses; and the Greek word that is here rendered taken captive, signifies to be taken alive; the word is, properly, a warlike word, and signifies to be taken alive as soldiers are taken alive in the wars, or as birds are ensnared and taken alive by the fowler. Satan hath snares for the wise and simple; for generous and for timorous souls; for the rich and the poor; for the aged and for youth, &c. H ФРУ are those who are not taken and held in the snares that he hath laid.

One proof more, and then I will proceed to the opening of the subject, and that is in Rev. ii. 24. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you no other burthen, but to hold fast till I come.' Those poor souls called their opinions the depths of God, when, indeed, they were the depths of Satan. You call your opinions depths, and so they are, but they are such depths as Satan hath brought out of hell; they are the whisperings and hissings of that serpent, not the inspirations of God. So much by way of Introduction.

Now I am to shew you his several devices; and herein I shall first shew you the device he hath to draw the soul to sin: I shall instance in these twelve, which may bespeak our most serious consideration.

CHAPTER I.

His first Device to draw the soul to sin, is,

TO present the bait, and hide the hook; to present the golden cup, and hide the poison; to present the sweet and the pleasure, that may flow into the soul by yielding to sin, and hide from the soul the wrath and misery that will certainly follow the committing of sin.* By this device he took our first parents, And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die.

For God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' Your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods; here is the bait, the sweet, the pleasure, the profit. Oh! but he hides the hook, the shame, the wrath, and the loss that would certainly follow.

There is an opening of the eyes of the mind to contemplation and joy, and there is an opening of the eyes of the body to shame and confusion. He promiseth them the former, but intends the latter, and so cheats them, giving them an apple instead of Paradise: as he deals by thousands in the present day. Satan with ease puts fallacies upon us, by his golden baits,

* So to reduce D. Taylor, martyr, they promised him not only his pardon, but a bishoprick.