well taste what we Eat or Drink But admit that did remain yet it is lessened again by having had it over so very often But the chief Reason is because of the nearer yea the very near approaches of Death which then doth cast an Allay and damp even upon all the Innocent Pleasures and Lawful Comforts of Life Which is one Reason why this Age unless it is attempered with Grace and Knowledge is commonly so fretful vaspish and froward But God having here promised a Crown of Life to the enduring of Temptation unto such as Love him which at this day is made good unto his Servant Job for as Abraham Isaac and Jacob do live unto God so doth his Soul also at this very moment somewhere exist this doth mightily alter the Case and make those Temptations to be willingly submitted unto Yea to become a matter of choice I had rather meet with trouble in the way of Duty then to avoid it in the neglect and omission thereof when these temptations do tend and work together for our Endless Good in the latter End and herein is that saying true It is Good for a Man that he bear his Yoke in his Youth Lam. 3. 27. This is a mighty Word of Consolation to me who have born the Yoke to a Witness in my Youth whose Life from my Youth up hath been almost a continued train and series of Afflictions and I do still labour under Crosses Oppositions Disappointments Vexations and Oppreâ—sions Tho' withal Blessed be his Name for it My God hath given me that Knowledge to eye and discern therein somewhat more then the first outward hand or next visible Instrument therein For as it is Written The Prophet is a Snare of the Fowler in his ways Hos 9. 8. So I look upon those Temptations as a Sâ—are of the Great Fowler for the Souls of Men. And as it is again written Our Soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler the Snare is broken and we are escaped Psal 1 24. 7. So those Temptations and Snares may at first be many times seen and so passed by or avoided or if one falls unawares into them or if like Troops of numerous Enemies they do come and beset one round by the help and Grace of God we may resolutely break through and not be holden by them We may work through or over or by the rub and hindrance so as not to be let thereby Tho' we may be somewhat hindred yet not utterly stopped It is not so much the Children of Men or our Fellow Creatures which do tempt or torment us but it is the Devil who Acts through them from whence Note by the way that either to tempt or occasion another to sin nothing comes so like unto the Nature of the Devil as this doth as also it is somewhat like him to Vex Disquiet or Torment only for Vexation sake as we commonly say The Devil is the Great Instrument or Engine which sets all the Sin and Evil all the Temptations and Pain a working or in Motion as it hath been and is in the World Here God doth superintend and over-rule all and disposes or suffers him to Act according to his own Will and Pleasure Behold I have Created the waster to destroy Isa 54. 6. Which waster to destroy is the Devil for he doth raise and occasion all those Destructions for they do Spring up from him as the black and corrupt Fountain that is beneath Somewhat hereof is signified by what our Saviour Christ saith unto the Jews I am from above and ye are from beneath Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Observe how it is expressed in the Plural Number Lusts more then one as also we hence see that all Lust comes under and is some of the Devices of Satan He was a Murderer from the beginning John 8. 44. There are several sorts of Lusts some of which do immediately tend to Fighting and Murder and the others do weaken and tend to destroy He hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon but in the Greek Tongue hath his Name Apollyon Rev. 9. 11. Which in the Margent of the Bible there is That is to say A Destroyer Here it is to be understood that the Devil was a Creature made by God as may be gathered from John 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. Isa 54. 16. He is the Great waster that was Created to destroy Like as the fire was Created to burn as well as to warm so that Infernal Spirit was Created to deceive and punish the Children of the Kingdom and those that does Iniquity all one as to prove and try the Servants of the Lord. He hath been suffered to have his Range going about seeking whom he may devour and whom he may destroy To deceive the Nations and the whole World both as taken together and also in their single Individual Persons And the Devil said unto Christ All this Power will I give thee for that is delivered unto me Luke 4. 6. By whom must this be delivered unto him but by the Great Creator and Maker of all things who is God himself We read expresly and clearly in the Revelations how that Power is given unto them to do so far and no further as to one of his Angels to take Peace off from the Earth and many such like things By which it may be easily understood and conceived how that even now God is All in All. As he hath Created all things by his Great Power and Wisdom so He that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name Jah Psal 68. 4. Doth keep the Reins still in his hands and let them go or stops or turns them as himself pleases This was hinted off before but it is safe to mention it again that ye be not Ignorant of the devices of Satan how far they go and no further for even as he hath put Bounds to the Sea Hitherto shalt thou go and no further and here thy Proud Waves are stayed So it is as to the devices of Satan and what is consequent to them the Wickedness Opposition or Rebellion of Men. And after these things I saw four Angels standing at the four Corners of the Earth holding the four Winds of the Earth that the Wind should not blow on the Earth nor on the Sea nor on any Tree And I saw another Angel ascending from the East having the Seal of the living God and He cried with a loud Voice to the four Angels to whom it was given Mark that for unless God had given them the Power they could no more hurt them then I sitting here can hurt the Scaly Leviathan that is at the bottom of the Sea To hurt the Earth and the Sea saying hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Trees till we have Sealed the Servants of God in their â—oreheads Rev. 7. 1 2 3. And it was Commanded them that they should not hurt the Grass of
the Earth neither any green thing neither any Tree but only those Men which have not the Seal of God in their Foreheads Rev. 9. 4. From whence we see that all the Actings and Temptations and Devices of Satan who is Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Yea all the things in the whole World cannot hurt any one unless God hath before given him Commission and Power or leave to hurt as again here we read That the Servants of God who have his Seal in their Foreheads are priviledged and exempted from being hurt For nothing can truly hurt them not Pain nor Sickness nor Poverty nor yet Death it self for that only brings them to God whose Seal they before had This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord that they carry his Protection always about them not in their Pockets for they may be stript Naked and then it might be taken from them but in their Foreheads which is not seen by Mans Eye So that no Power or Malice of Men can defeat or annull it Which Protection runs in this form of Words Behold I give unto you Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the Power of the Enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Luke 10. 19. Nothing throughout the whole Creation can by any means hurt the Disciples and Servants of Christ No not the Devils nor yet Death it self can hurt them but sin only The Devil can no otherwise hurt any one whatever but as he doth tempt and deceive them into sin and then indeed it is that he gets advantage over them and his devices take effect But as long as any one doth not defile his Garments Rev. 3. 4. Or as long as he stands upon the Watch Defence or at staves End Avoid or get behind me Satan here let Satan do his worst and shew his utmost cunning it signifies not It is Good and Prudent counsel never to stand Parlying or Discoursing with him for thus he led our first Parents into the Transgression But rather to resist vigorously and he will flee from us and break through the Host of these Hellish Enemies The more he tempts and the more often we come off Conquerours the greater will be our Triumph and Crown and Joy in the Day of the Lord. For as before remarked of Job happy it was for him that there was ever a Devil to have tempted him So the same will be returned and found true of all the other Servants and Children of God they will be pronounced and rendred blessed that ever they have endured Temptation for then they were tried But now they shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him who in his Gracious Wonderful and Over-ruling Providence which signifies providing or ordaining of things Will make all things work together for Good to them that Love God to them who are the called according to his purpose And he shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3 1. So Paul Witnesseth he would have come to some he wrote unto but Satan hindred him Again he expresseth it on this wise Only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 2 Thes 2. 7. From all which we gather that all resistances hindrances and lettings in the things that are Good or for God They do come and arise from Satan and here we should resist the resistance which is signified by that Phrase of the Psalmist afore-mentioned The Snare is broken and we are delivered and so not suffer our selves to be hindred by the hindrance for I am peâ—swaded and do believe that if Paul had been throughly bent and resolved on it for all he might have went that Journey Notwithstanding the hindrance of Satan As a Man may suffer himself to be holden by a single thred or tow if he doth somewhat yeild himself The Devils Power is so weak and limited that if we do resist and not give way not yet yeild somewhat our selves he can never have the Mastery or Prevalency over us Give the Devil his due and let none blame him too much neither as to say he doth this or that sin or mischief when Men and Women do it by Instigation of him For as the Apostle James saith Every Man is tempted when he is led away of his own lust and enticed So when any are Tempted or Instigated by the Devil to commit a sin the fault and failure of the reasonable Creatures is this that themselves do yeild and consent to do what he suggests unto them Which last being their own Act and Deed thereupon the future Punishment of God upon them for the same is righteously and justly founded So it will be as to the final Miscarriage and Condemnation of them at the last Their Destruction is of themselves although they were snared in it as Birds that were caught in a Snare Eccles 9. 12. by that great Fowler which hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon and in the Greek Tongue Apollyon which in our English Tongue signifies a Destroyer Birds and Fishes have that little Instinct that if they see a Snare Hook or Net they will not willingly suffer themselves to be caught and taken in it Even so all the Sons of Men have a Rumour of those Evils of the Invisible World how Fear and the Pit and the Snare are upon them O ye Inhabitants of the Earth And they might have that Faith Knowledge and Reason as to foresee those Evils and avoid them But if they put off and neglect hearing the Word whereby Faith cometh if they will not Exercise and Improve their Knowledge and Reason towards spiritual and future things When they are given to understand and they may perceive from within themselves that there is a Devil who tempts and would deceive them but themselves give way and consent unto it All this is their own fault and wilfulness for which they will at last smart and be punished be Destroyed and Perish O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hoâ— 13. 9. And so God is an effectual help unto his Creatures against that and other Enemies of their Souls by his Word Which if we have recourse unto we shall not be Ignorant of his devices by that Grace Knowledge and Assistance which he gives offers and tenders unto all There are so many Arguments Motives and Persuasives to bring Mankind to God and Good things that whoso doth attend unto and consider of them they must needs prevail with such a Soul There is certainly some secret Enemy of Mankind whom they see not that keeps them off from God and Good things and seduces them to Evil. Men would never do thus of themselves but that an unseen Enemy doth stir them up Like as it is recorded But there was none like unto Ahab which did sell himself to work wickedness in the
of Propriety and Claiming him to ones self And yet here again because here there may be some doubt and further thought of Soul nothing less can satisfy the Soul of Man then for her to enjoy God in Heaven And so it is here aforesaid That the Lord hath chosen Zion which signifies his People This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it which implies an Union to him So the Language of the Creature speaks again unto him As the heart panteth after the Water Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My Soul Thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42. 1 2. It is evident that the Soul hath a Natural desire to know God not in those who have defaced it with Sensuality and Brutishness Not in those who are Alienated and Enemies through wicked works but in them who exert the Operations thereof Who obey and serve their Creator even as it is meet and right that his Creatures should do So when the Soul comes to be acquainted with him she is in Peace It can be contented for the present and wait some time for the full Enjoyment of him Altho' in this mean while the Earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God There are risings in the Souls of Men and Women a little imperfect measure whereof they have in this Life towards Communion and Union with their God As also because we are given to understand that many will be rejected and cast off from him at the last day altho' they were his Creatures and the work of his hands hence doth arise Great Thought and Searching of Heart least we should be of the Number of them Well to help and remedy that to Encourage People to shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the End I do here make known unto ye that the sure way to obtain is to have Faith in God and to Love him with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Strength and with all our Mind There is all the Reason in the World that he should be so loved and served Never any one that did thus believe and love and serve him did Finally and Eternally Perish Moses indeed came on Mount Pisgah He saw an Earthly Canaan and never came into it but now he is in a much better Viz. The Heavenly Men may be and are disappointed in their Pursuits after Earthly things altho' they used Diligence and Wisdom and were ready to lay hold on them But none that doth so as to Heaven who hath the Hope which enters within the vail and such a sight thereof as to overlook present things who takes up this firm constant and continued resolutiâ—n for that will I labour and care all the Days of this Life of Vanity Whatever I take in hand or whatever my hand finds me to do I will bring it all in tendency subordination and subserviency thereto or otherwise I will never do it None such who do thus shall miss thereof Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Here again observe it is called Labour for this imports a great deal more then that careless and customary Religion of the Multitude But when it is made a matter of Labour and Striving and it becomes the constant and only business of all our Life long When the Life which we live is by Faith in the Son of God That is when that Faith doth so actuate us throughly and wholly all one as the Soul doth actuate the Body in order to Natural Life to such the Word and Promise of God stands engaged that they Shall not Labour in vain nor yet seek his Face in vain But they shall obtain that which they seek after viz. The Enjoyment of God and a Mansion in their Fathers House in the highest Heavens It is a great and observable Scripture Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest are blinded Rom. 11. 7. There is many such a thought in Godly and Gracious Souls like unto that of David who after that he had received the Promise of being King over Israel could say I shall fall one day by the hands of Saul And so to whom pertaineth the Adoption the Covenants and the Promises Yet there is in them a secret distrust and mis-giving of heart I shall fall one day into the Paws of the Roaring Lion who walketh about continually seeking whom he may devour Notwithstanding I have already done and yet do so much in order to God I may be a cast-away for all that Indeed there may be some good use of such kind of Thoughts to keep us always on our watch That we may not be high minded but fear and to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and there being a promise left us oâ—… entring into his rest to fear least any of us should come short of it And as when David spake thus of himself in reference to Saul he did all that same time endeavour to flee from avoid and fortify himself against Saul So tho' we have at some times doubtful thoughts least he should prevail and get an advantage over us at the same time we do not give place to the Devil Eph. 4. 27. We resist the Devil and he will flee from us James 4. 7. Then there can be no Great matter of Inconvenience but rather good doth arise thereby in thinking the worst as long as we act to the best in avoiding and arming our minds against his Temptations We had need be upon our continual Watch and Guard Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a Roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the faith He is more cunning then any of us and holds almost all Men and Women by one catch or another either in the allowance of some sin or in the Omission of some Duty or to tempt them to leave off from their waiting and close adhering unto the Lord. Now the Serpent was more subtle then any Beast of the Field which the Lord God had made Mark that well and so he continues at this day to be more subtle then any Man or Woman considered in their meer Natural condition abstracted and separated from the assistances above the Directions of the Word and Spirit And so he pursues near the same methods still to tempt and deceive all Mankind of all Generations and Countreys as He seduced our first Parents into the Transgression as the same may be read throughout Gen. 3. Even to tempt and beguile them into the Breach of as many of the Commandments as ever he can with a pretence that less Evil and more seeming Good will ensue thereupon then really will He suggests to do
any thing that may displease and lose the favour of God and by consequence fall under his wrath and future Punishment These and such like things are obvious and commonly known already And so where we Read in several places of Scripture concerning the Serpent Satan the Devil the Adversary the Evil one the Great Dragon All this is commonly expressed in very plain Words that any one may understand that it is all meant and intended of him For whosoever hath constant Recourse unto the written Word of God and doth read diligently therein he will not be Ignorant of the Devices of Satan Thus Paul and the Christians of his time came not to be Ignorant of the Devices of Satan as indeed there are so many things scattered up and down therein which are spoken concerning them that whoso readeth will quickly find them And the Great Dragon was cast out the Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole World he was cast out into the Earth Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea because the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because be knoweth that he hath but a short time Rev. 12. 9 12. And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth Rev. 13. 14. And these are they by the way side where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts Mark 4. 15. Not to multiply many more Texts to the same purpose we may find and feel enough of the workings and suggestions of Satan within our selves When at any time we are kept off hindred and neglect any good It is commonly through this Temptation and Instigation of the Evil one as also he doth miserably perplex and deceive in the things pertaining to God Simon Simon Satan hath desired to sift thee as Wheat but I have prayed that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Now this Simon Peter was a Disciple and Precious Servant of Jesus Christ and from thence we see that Satan is as busy with the Children and Servants of God as with other People Yea rather more in that he hath already taken the others Captive at his Will And hereby also we are given to understand that God hath reserved to himself the Power over him He can go no further then God suffers and permits Tho' Satan for these Five or Six Thousand â—ears hath been let loose among the Inhabitants of the Earth yet God can tye him up again whensoever he will and he doth walk about with a hook in his Jaws to be turned back or about whither soever doth please the Great Creator of all things But I know thy abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy Rage against me Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into my Ears therefore will I put my Hook in thy Nose and my Bridle in thy Lips and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest Isa 37. 28 29. Holds equally true of the infernal accursed Spirit himself as it did of Senacherib or Rabshakeh through whom he Acted For every Man is Acted either by God or the Devil according as the thing which he doth is Good or Evil Lawful and Right or else sin And so it is of all the Created things they have but a stinted and limited Commission and Power given to them by the Great and Sovereign Creator of all things whither they do obey or Act in Rebellion against him Both which will tend to the Great Ends of his own Glory God hath suffered such an Infernal and Invisible Spirit as the Devil or Satan is to prove the Children of Men more perfectly to know what is in their heart whither they will keep his Commandments or no. That according as it is written He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and He that is Holy let him be Holy still Rev. 22. 11. But the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Dan. 12. 10. So these things seem to be suffered so on set purpose that they which are good may be better and so may have more favour from God and a greater reward to themselves and the bad may be worse and consequently be beaten with more stripes and receive yet a greater Condemnation This last seems to be an hard saying but it is according to the order and decree of God and according to the Scriptures of Truth It is evident by the Example and History of Job particularly in the first and second Chapters that by there being a Devil and by his being permitted to afflict the Body and Tempt his Soul The Good and Righteous are hereby proved and they will have yet more favour and a greater Crown from the Lord who suffered it so to be that the Trial of their Faith being much more Precious then of Gold that Perisheth might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ When this Job was proved he did approve himself unto God What an excellent Character is that left recorded of him That amidst his very Great Afflictions and Troubles In all this Job sinned not nor charged God Foolishly And how comfortable is that after all And the Lord tuâ—ned the Captivity of Job Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more then the beginning Hereby Confirming what he afterâ—ards spoke by his Apostle James Behold we count them happy which endure Yâ—… have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the End of the Lord that the Lord is very Pitiful and of tender mercy James 5. 11. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him James 1. 12. Happy was it for Job that ever there was a Sâ—tan to torment him though perhaps himself could not think so aâ— the very Instant Fâ—r no Chastening for the present seemeth Joyous but Grievous Nevertheless afterward it yeildeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness unto them which are Exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. For it waâ— made double to him in thâ—s Life and much more will be added unto him in the restitution of all things Indeed it must be acknowledged to speak as a Man that no one who did throughly consider of things would choose to bear Afflictions Trouble or Loss in his Youth or in the foregoing time of his Life if he was sure to have towards his latter days double or two fold as much for the loss he sustained For Fifty Pounds a Year in Youth is better then an hundred in declining Years or Old Age not only because of what Barvillai said we cannot then so
sown in their hearts Now ye are not Ignorant of this device of his see well to it Least Satan get an advantage over you in this particular and in this Sermon Let him not take away the word that was sown in your hearts at this Season for ye may prevent and help it if ye will That is if ye keep those sayings in your hearts which ye have heard uttered unto your Ears And so it is of all his other Devices they may be Countermined and Rendred of none effect Whither it was that the Infernal Spirit did see and discern that I was to lay open his Devices herein But I have observed that I have been more let and hindred I have been more untoward and unapt towards the Compiling of this Sermon then of others which yet by the Grace and help of God is brought on thus far I have observed much hereof in my Contemplation and Searching out of Divine Truth how many Avocations Interruptions and Turnings aside of my mind towards other things and little excuses to leave ofâ— or to go to other Business have aâ—ose and I have too often gave way unto it Which is my sin and I am to be blamed herein and I believe that the Lord will shew himself displeased towards me for the same When He that hath set our Iniquities beâ—ore him and our secret sins in the Light of his Countenance Will reprove and set in order before me the several seasons of time I have done thus As also when I have mispent too much of my Precious time When I that know the worth of time the sliding away of time the Irrecoverableness of time do not improve it better and more then I have done The Lord knows the Reason of my neglecting the Word of God to serve Tables Acts 6. 2. To serve the mean necessities of this Life whereas all things relating to that should be brought ready to my hand that I should not mis-employ the least Portion of my time either for Food or Raiment or necessary expence And so indeed it would be if I were righteously and equally dealt withal If of such an Inheritance which God hath set out to such a Famlly a like Share and Portion was assigned to me as is usually unto others Or if the same was supplyed or helped another way My Conscience doth accuse me of mis-pending time about wordly things or even reâ—ating to this Body Tho' yet I do not altogether so waste and consume it neither in Impertinencies or Vanity or useless things as do others This is another Device of Satan to mis-pend Precious time which we should not give way unto no not for a Minute For we should not give Place by Subjection unto this Enemy of our Souls no not for a moment Nor yet for the least matter But withstand the wiles of the Devil Because he is to be blamed In that it is a sin and a fa ult which he would have us consent unto And what shall I more say The time would fail me to tell of all his devices and wiles They do terminate and tend to one of these two heads to commit Sin or omit Duty to Practice Evil or hinder Good and by this you may know them For whatever is of this Nature that same is a device or wile of Satan The same Rule holds and is to be observed towards them all Be sure not to give way unto them I say again to confirm and establish this word Be sure not to give way unto the Devices of Satan as each may know and perceive them in the secret and deep of his own heart And so when we should always keep close unto the Lord God in our hearts and have them always lifted up towards him and approach to the Lord in our hearts Here when the heart Roves and is far from God or when it sinks down to the Earth and becomes Earthly or Wordly or Savours the things of the Flesh and of Men this again and such like is one of the Devices of Satan which we are not to give way unto an hands breadth but to strive and endeavour against it as much as ever we can When Satan stood at the right hand of Joshua to resist him the Lord said unto Satan The Lord Rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Rebuke thee Is not this a Brand plucked out of the fire Zech. 3. 1. 2. Even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Rebuke thee which is as much as to say Inasmuch as Jerusalem signisignifies his Church and People that God will have his Elect and Servants Maugre and Notwithstanding all the Temptations or Devices of Satan or the Devil And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never Perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater then all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand John 10. 29 30. Not all the Men upon Earth nor yet the strongest Devil in Hell This is a mighty Word of Consolation and Assurance to all Real and Universal Christians who are within the Covenant Satan may disturb but he shall never be able to destroy ye Tho' David did say through Ignorance Infirmity and Distrust I shall fall one day by the hands of Saul but the Lord knoweth them that are his and I certify and assure all such from the Word of Truth that they shall never be devoured by this Roaring Lion Tho' the Wicked and Ungodly and Sinners may be Snared and broken and taken but this is the Priviledge of the Saints and Servants of the Lord they shall never fall so far into the Snare of the Devil but they shall be retrieved and recovered out of it again Tho' here it will be convenient amidst all his Assaults to lift up ones heart in that Ejaculatory Prayer The Lord Rebuke thee O Satan the Lord Rebuke thee or get behind me Satan or such like I testify and warn ye again Be sure never to consent yeild nor give way unto his Devices Thus having Discoursed of what excellent benefit and use it is not to be Ignorant of the Devices of Satan and having laid down that Caution and Rule Be sure not to give way unto them and then He can never get advantage over us It remains to shew in few Words How the not being Ignorant of the Devices of Satan helps to make a continuing and persevering work of it This ye may quickly perceive and discern for opposite unto continuing and persevering is Apostacy and Falling away Now the Devil was the first and great Apostate and himself having fallen into that Transgression It hath been his continued business ever since to tempt the Children of Men to fall off from God in like manner How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the Morning Isa 14. 12. Which tho' it be spoken there in reference to the King of Babylon yet it hath allusion unto this fall of
the Devil from Heaven But we Read yet more clearly concerning that matter in 2 Pet. 2. 4 and Jude 6. God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell which doth suppose that it was from Heaven and delivered them to chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgment And the Angels which kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the Great day So that there is more Devils then one altho' one is Belzebub the Prince of the Devils and is called the Devil or Satan by way of Preeminency because he is chief among them Hence we see that their fault was sinning and not keeping their first Estate And God having thus punished them for it they are of the like Envious and Devillish Nature as to tempt seduce and deceive the Children of Men unto the like things even to sinning and not keeping their first Estate which was Innocency and Uprightness He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning 1 John 3. 8. And as aforesaid all his devices tend to this either in single Persons Families or Nations or Generations of Mankind where they come short of what God hath required of that pure and undefiled Sincere and Universal Religion the Devil hath an hand in it one way or another and so he hath in all the ungodliness that is in all People here some of his devices take effect So that it is of mighty consequence not to be Ignorant of them Every Act of sin is a Part of Apostacy and Falling away and it is as contrary to the continuing in the fear of the Lord as darkness is unto Light So that wouldst thou continue in the fear of the Lord the consequent is sin not neither Give place to the Devil We understand likewise from hence how dangerous a thing it is not to keep ones first Estate For this was the miscarriage and utter ruine of those faln and accursed Spirits and through their means and temptation Man had very near split Eternally and Irreversibly on the same Rock as appears by our Forefather Adam But that God was pleased more out of his Grace then our deserving to establish another and second Covenant by which he is set up once again by Christ to try him once more But wo unto him if he shall then fall and break the Terms and Conditions even of the Gospel Indenture Let People do never so many good things besides I know thy Works and thy Labour and thy Patience and how thou canst not bear them which are Evil and hast born and hast Patience and for my Names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted All this is well and here is a good Character but what succeeds Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first Works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 2 3 4 5. So that it is not a matter of Indifferency nor of bare complaining to leave ones first Love but indeed there is a real ground for Fear and there must be labour to attain unto it again and do the first works Otherwise God here declares that he will remove thy Candlestick out of his place That is his Light and Grace from out of their hearts and then in plain Terms there is no going to Heaven the place of Eternal and Unchangeable Light Where any one leaves his first Love this is one of their devices and comes from those formerly Angels but now Devils who kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation I testify again unto all that shall hear or read this Be upon your watch and see well to it that this device of the Evil one doth not take effect upon ye But rather thwart and contradict them the more For this is to bear and to have Patience and for my Names sake hast Laboured and hast not fainted When thou dost so much the more against or contrary to his Temptations and Devices for if thou art resolutely given it may be Satan will be weary of tempting or devising devices against thee There is so much Reason that thou shouldst not leave thy first Love that there is all the Reason in the world to the contrary that thou shouldst keep unto thy first Love and thy first Estate and rather encrease it more and more Because if you throw up a stone It is observed that it moves quicker and faster the nearer it falls down again to the Earth Which is its Center So we being day after day nearer to Death and Immortality and we draw continually nearer in time when we shall appear before God unto whom all flesh shall come who is the father of Spirits and the Center of our Souls and of all Created Beings Therefore our latter and last days should be our better and best days Our latter and last works should be our better and best works For saith the Holy Ghost in the place afore-mentioned Repent and do the first works Rev. 2. 5. I know thy Works and Service and the last to be more then the first ver 19. But call to remembrance the former Days in which after ye were Illuminated Recollect and rub up your memories At what Age or Season of Life ye were in the very best mind and frame of Spirit towards the Lord God Where is thy Zeal and thy Strength and thy former diligence The perpetual hills did bow the liftings up of thy heart continually toward the Lord God and thy bowings before him in thy Spirit and all that good mind and affections towards God Are they restrained Thou must begin again and return back to that former State and Labour to add to it yet Sevenfold in each particular now towards the very close and shutting up of thy Days And Jehu gathered all the People together unto him and said unto them Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu shall serve him much But Jehu did it in subtilty to the intent that he might destroy the Worshippers of Baal 2 Kings 10. 18 19. So O thou Man or Woman pursue here the like Reasoning in my Youth or such a season of Life I served God a little but now I will serve him much and yet more that I may be accepted of him at the last We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we Labour that whither Present or Absent we may be accepted of him for we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the Body according to that he hath done whither it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 8 9 10. Knowing then that we approach nearer and nearer to this the right Exhortation