OfS tr fnspolície. 41 Nomaruaile therefore thoughSatan ifiould bee anexpert fouldier,feeing he is not onlyofwonderfull f}rength, butal- foofgreat knowledge bycreation; which though in refpeól of good things it was much decreafed byhis fall, yet in heights and ftrataaems it is much increafed byhis long ex- perience from thebeginning ofthe world, euen almoli fixe thoufandyeeres; which is fufficient tomake one wife that is by nature foolifh and limple, and therefore much more Sa- tan, who is by nature verypolitike ; being alíò a fpirit,and hereby fit to diue as it were into the fecrets ofnature,and with incredible fwiftnes topaffe fromplace toplace, readie to intrudehimfelfe into all companies fecretly, and to learne the nature,qualities& difpofitions ofal men,againft whom . he fighteth.And though hecannot knowour thoughts dire- &lieand certainly,for this is proper to God alone tobee the Ier. / 7. io,, fearcher ofhearts, yethehath fuch intelligence from our af-- fe&ions,ltifis,inclinations andoutward aeüons,that heecan fhrewdlygeffe at them, ifhe doebut awhilekeepe vs coin- panie, and fee our difpofition and conuerfation. So that we cannot giue Satan the leaft aduantage, but hee is readie to takeit and make vfe thereof to our ouerthrow; we can lay no plot againft himbut he difcerneth it, and is readie topre- uent it. And therfore in this refpeaour fiate is like the king ofArams, 2.King.6.r2. for Satan our enemieknoweth all z.King..6.1 is our counfailes andconfultations whichwe takeandhold in our mufi fecret chambers.. And thus you fee what Satans policie is : againfi fi which Se.2. we mu oppofe no leffe wifdome andskill,if will bane govv vve theviaorie. Whereas thereforewee arefoolifh by nature,or-maydefeat, wilie tobeguile-our felues;that wifdome whichwe haue na- Satans poticie. turallybeing worldlyand carnall, which is enmitie againft God,Rom.8.7. and therefore morefit to betray, vs into the:Rom.s.7. hands ofour enemie, than to defendvs from him ; it behoo- ueth vs togoe outof ourfelues into the 'Lords'treafurie of wifedome, and there tofíirnifhvs withfuch fpirituall facing wifedome,as fhall be fit to oppofeagainfi the fubtill poli cie ofour fpirituall enemie. That is wee mull continually heare and meditate inGods word, whichwill make vs -wife and skilfulh;.
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