Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

108 'DireBianr far a Jvell grounded Fait/;. --great~!i pcwet--;;;-~he-;;;~!1 ungodly : If the "/url(_ be the Emperor the moll of the vulgar are like quickly to be Turks : If a Papi!l be their King, the moft of them are hkely to be Papills. Look imo the pftfcnt ltue of the Heathen, Infidel, Mahbmetane, Papal, and prophane pares of [he world, and inro the H\llbry of all ages pall, and you will fee with gridand admiration, how mu~h the Devil hatb ~ot by this. §. 29· V· Alfo he is very defirous to get out Socitty and Compani::mJ on his fide ; who are near us, and have frequent opportunities to do us good or hun. For he knoweth by long and great experience how fOwerfully they draw, and how frequently they fpeed. 9. 30· J o. And he is very induflrious to get our friendi that have power over us, and greatefi in– terell in lis on his fide. For rhen he hath won our out-Works already. § ·_31: ll· Lafily, he is defirous fomeri.mts ro get the name, a~d app:!aran:e of verrue, and piety on hts hde: That thofe that are to do ~IS work, may have a wmnmg carnage, and k> a ven~ra· ble name) and the cloak of vcrtue may fervc his (L\tn ror the promoting of the defi:ruction of piety itfdf. §. 32· I .,. By what hath been faid you may underfiand what kind of Officm and l•JirumentJ the TL!uptcr ufc:th. I · Hecommonly UJcth men that are themfclves fir(l dectilltei and corrupted, as fit in– fmments to deceivr and corrupt others: Thefc will carry it on with confidence and violent:e: The <mploymcnt feemeth Nawr.ll to them, they are fo tit for it: They will be willing to make other men of their mind, and tO have the company of others in their war. A drunkard i.s fit w make a drunkard ; and a hlthy fornicator to cncHe another into the fin; and a gamefier to make a gamefier: and a wanton time-wailer to drlw another to watle his rime in wanrmmefs and foolifh fports: An ambitiou~ or proud perf.on is rit to kindle that tire in others; A fwearer is fittefi to make a fwt:uer; and [o df many other fins. §. 33· 2· The DLvil ufually choofeth for his Injlrumtnll, men that have 110 grtat tmdermfl of tcmfcicncc, or fear of finning or of hurting fouls. He would have no fuch Cowards in his Army, as men f(aring God are as to his Ends ; It mull be men that will venture upon hell thcmfelves, and fe:ir not much the lofs of their own fouls ; and therefore mull 'not be too tender or fearful of dcHroy, ing orhers. Butchers and Souldiers mufi not be chofen out of too tender or loving a fort of pe0ple: fuch are not fit to go through his work. §. 34· 3· Ht ufually choofeth lnflruments that are mofi d"ply tnga~rd in his caufe: whofe prrftr· mem, and ht111our, and gain, and carilal inurejl fhall be to them, as N.JtUI't is tu a dog, or wolf, or fox, or other ravenouS creature: who think it a lofs, or danger, or fulfering to them, if t>thets AB. 19 . 24 , be JJOt hindered 1n good, or made as bad -as they. Thus Dcmetritu and the other cufts-rnen that 38> 39· .Jived upon the trade, art: the littefi to plead Diana's caufe, and Hir up the people againfi the Apoftltf. And the JeWs were th'e fittefi Inflrumcms to perfecute Chrifi, who thought that if they ltt him alar.e, aV mt1z would belinJe on bim,a1zdthe B:oman1 would came a11J tal{.e away both t!Jcir ptJ<:c and natitm : and that it war expedient f or tbtm that_one man die f or tht people, a.nd that tl~e whole n:ztion pcrijh not. ]6hn 11· '48, 49· And Pilau was the httdl lnllrument to cond<mn hHn, who leared that he !hould elfc be taken to bt none of C.efm friend. And Pharoah wa• the httefi ln!lrument to perfecute the Ifrae– lites, w'no Was like to lofe by their departure. 9. 35· 4· when he can he cb~o[ttb fuch Inftrumenn as -are mHcb ab.mt lU and nearc{i to us, who have oppo)ltHnity to be oft fpcakJn,g to ~s, when others have no opportunity tO help us: The Jire .t)lat is 'neartft to the wo·od or thiltch is l1ktr to burn it than that which is fan off: NBarnef.s a·nd up.. po)·tuhity are very great ad~anuges•. ·9. 36. 's· If it be pofttb!e he will choofe fuch ln!lruments as have the grmcjl Abilitiu to do him fen•ice: 1 0tlc man ·of ·gn:at wit, and learning, and elocution that is nimble in d~ifputing, and "<'an make allmofl any caufc fccm·good w·hich he defendeth, or bad which he oppofcth, is able oo dormore fCJvice for the Devil, than ·an hundred ldeots. §· 37• 6. If poffible he will choofe·the Rulers if tilt World to be his lnfirumcnts; Mat r!hall com· PJand men, and 1hreaten them with imprifimment, banijhmtnt, confifcatiou or deatb if they wiJI.nor ·tin : as the King .vf Babylon did by the<hree witndfcs and Daniel; Dan. 3. & 6. and .a11 >pcrfecotorS have ddne in all ages againfi the holy feed. For he knowceh that ( though not ...Uth a Joh, yet wirb a camal perfon) skin for skin, and all that a maJt hdth will he give fur •hH life: And therefore they that have the power of life, and liberty, and·cihlte, havt carnal men by the /J;;mdle thatwHJ>rule them. 9· jS. 7• He makcth the Rich his Injlrumr>:t! that having the wealrh of the world, are able to Ttwar6 and hire evil doers: and are able to opprefs thore that will not plcafc thorn. Landlords ami Rich men ~an do the Dtvil more Lervice than ·many of the poor : They ar.e rhe judai'11.t~at bear the bag. As the Ox will follow him that carieth !he ha.y, and the Horfc will follow him that carriet11 the provender, and the Dog will follow him that fecdeth him, and thc•Crow will be w.herc thecarri· on is; fo carnal perfons will follow and obey him that bears the purfe. §. 39· 8. The Devil if he can will make thofc his lnfirumcnts whom he fceth we moll Eftwm and R.er.,trcnce: Perfons whom we think mofi: wife and fit to be our Counfellors : we will take that from thcfc, which we would fufpetl: from others. §· 40· 9· He will g~t our Relation! and thofc that have our Htaru ,moft to he ,his rJnfi.rumenfs : AHtuband, or a 1.Yife, or a Dalil-:~b, can do more than any others : and 'fo can a bofi>m friend, whom wedearly love : \\'hen all their lntcrcfi in our ·alfo6tion• is made o•er for the Devils fervice, it may

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=