720 2. 3. Epbefians, Chap,6. V E from knowledge , yeahe hath'his intelligences from every Tooke, geft% re, affe&ion, &c. that we may fay as 4ram did , We can doe nothing inour bedchamber,buthe underftandeth ir,2 King.2. r r, r2. Secondly, forconcealment,he is as fubtill to findeus out asto hide himfelfe; and therefore carriethhis matters fo, that the moli are mur- dered by him before they will who hurt them ; being like the Fox, who entereth fetching leaps into her hole , that one maynot be able to traceher to her den file lieth in : which will appeare more in his more apparent pra&ices. His more apparent pra&ices are thefe. First, his ambufhment ; and this word doth note a stratagem ufed by the Ifraelites againft Ai: this is the noted courfe of the Devil!, that heshall bite at the heck, andcome upon us behinde our backe as it were. Thus fometime hetempteth us togroffe negleet of our duty, orthecontrary, but he commerh uponus (leafing, with indevotion,or eyingmanin the performance ofduty , feeking tocorrupt the manner orintention: but thefe things not taking place, he hath lyingin am- bufh,pride and fecurity; with which, after performing any good duty, we are ready to be overtaken. ,.Afecondflratagem, to refiraine courfe ofviiauall from the besieged, or to takeaway weaponsfrom theenemy; theone pra&ïcedagain(} Sama- ria,theother bythePhiliftims againft Ifrael, i Sam.r.3. r9. Now this isthe attemptofSatanagainftus, to famith us ifit werepofible; for nowat a Sermon, the milk, bread, and meatofour foules, is dealt forth byGods Steward; but how manydoth the devill keep from ta- iling one mouthfulla Tome vanish in wandering thoughts; fome fit likepillars; fameifthcy be held too long, or have it not trimly dished forth, fall out withtheir meat, and will none ; fomanyworthy com- municants hemaketh afraid to touch the Sacrament ; uncomfortable performance, indifpofitions fo trouble them. So he doth labour no- thingmore, then towring our weapons out ofour hands; as prayer, what a deale of difcomfort do we know in it a fuch fwarmes of thoughts impertinent, fuch mills, fuch loffeofall comfortable fenfee But the devil) knoweth, that a prayer preferred in the obedienceof faith,though out of thedeeps ofdeath and fpirituall thraldome, is twice acceptable : buthisdrift is to makeus lay afide prayer. So faith: what is the matterthat renewing our faith we have fome tryall pre- fently that fhakethus more then ever a The matter the devil! aimeth at is, to makeusbyfuch continuall foules, afterrenewing our faith,,be wearyofthis, and focart our shield from us. A third ftratagemin enemies is, to get thecontrary forces out of theirhold, or todiforder their march and battell array, Iofy. lad.2o. Now this is the Devils politicke pra&ife : for our wall and mount is firft ourbeliefe in the word ofpromife, and threatning of God if wefin. 2. Ourconfiant course in good exercifes. Now the Devil' will drawus from these, asthofe in (Alai. 3. r 4. whowere broughtto. fay, It isin vaine to ferve the Lord : as Evah, theDevill brought her to make a peradventure ofdeath, that was fo peremptorily threatned, and
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