The greatSubtictie of the Deuill. Sunday inLent. Serm.q. enraged,fets morefuriouflyvpon theHunterthat purfues him,and throwes his Darts at him. There was avoyce alreadie thundred out againfthim fromHea- uen, in the ricer of Iordan. Our Sauiours fattingwas as (tones thrown againft abarkingCurre ;his being in the Defertwas no fit placefor him to worke his will, confidering thofe good meditations wherein our Sauiour was then occu- pied : And therefore feting himfelfe thuscro(t,he would labour tomake hisad- uantage, and trie what he could doeby the helpe ofthefe otherftones,as he had thena purpofe to employ them. Touching the fccond,to wit, His craft andhis fubtletie, notable is that place of Saint Paul, We arenot towreflle withflefhandblood, butwith thefnareof the De- ill : TheApottle dotlr not fay, againft his force and his power, though that bee great; butagainft his craft & his fubtletie,againft his trickes & deuices,& again(t his plots and frratagems. Tertullian renders it, cAtachinationes ; Saint 'heroine, Adnaentiones ; and theReuelation,t 4ltitudines Sathane, Thedepth andprofundi- tieof his policies and deepe reaches. SaintChryfoflome expounding that phrafe of Principes tenebrarum, The Princes ofdarkenep , faith, That they are not Notils tenebre,fedmalicie; thedarkcneffe ofmalice being greater than that ofthenight. Spiritualia nequitie cui nomina mille, millenocendi artes, (i.) Spiritualiwickednefes, which bauea thoufand names, ande thoufandwayes tohurt, as thePoet bath it.Acer- taine Monke asked the Deuill,Howhewas called He toldhim,Millemadit arti- fexvocor,r amcalleda cunning Workeman. And therefore the Scripture Rileshim Serpent, anda windingSnake, that rolls vp himfelfeas it were ina circle. Pift- tabit Dominusfuper Serpentene tortuofum, faithEfgy. Edallaseficolubertortuefus, (faith /ob:)There is noLabyrinth fo intricate, and fo full of doublings & tur- nings,as is he.It is muchdoubt which ofthe two is moft requifit in aCaptaine, Virtus,an Delos ? Courage,orCraft ? In theDeuill,ifhis powerbe incomparable, his fubtletie is muchmore. Someof the antient Saints haue put it to queftion, Whythe Deuill didappeare vnto our Mother erg in the forme ofa Serpent Saint Cbryfoflom faith , That Goddid giue him the libertie to make freechoice ofany oneofthe beafts of the Field,which foeuerhe hadmolt mindvnto;and, that hemade choice of the Serpent, as of thewifeft and fubtilleft,as the facred Text deliuerethvntovs. Saint Augufline, That it was not in his eleetiou to chufe anyother ; tothe end thatthe deceit andfubtletie of the Serpent might ftirre vp akindof jealoufie and warineffe inour Mother : Forcraft and cunning haueeuer done niore hurt than open force. The Wolfe isthen moft to bee fea- red when he puts himfelfe into Sheepes cloathing, or aLyon in aFoxes skin; (which isthe conditionofyour Heretickes.)Dauidfpeakingofchofewhich fol- low theDeuils partie, faith, PartesVulpium trust. TheSpoufecalles themlittle 'Foxes, Pulpesparuulár, qui demoliuntur Pineal Alluding inthem,to the Deuills. Vpon this craftand fubtletie ofthe Deuill, Saint Gregarie aryl S. Cirilground thisconceit, That theDeuil! isnot likeyour foolifh Phyfitions, whowith one iceitcurediners difeafés ;but againftetierievertue, good inclination, and mo- rions of the Spirit, he hath fuch fundrie temptations , and fo fit for Entrymans !iünlour,thatifthetemptedwillbut cafthis eyes towards them, it isa thoufand to one that he is nottakenwith them.Godaskt of7ob,Anfirer me,By whatway the heat is partedvpon earth ? Gregarie vnfoldeth this queftion, By thofe coles which theDeuillfcatrereth abroadamong(the People of this.world ; as thofeof co- petOÚfnefher,teoénget, andwantonneffe. ,Euerie oneCarries acole in hisbofome that bornes ançconfumes.him ; to via $ac qua ambulabani abfconderunt laqucumt i4ifii,'Whe rirhoteght si yfit fafeft,walkedfecurely, andfollowedmy pleafuresaordde- iu lights Epef6.l2. Virgil. Ear. Why theDe uill appeared toEue an the formeofa Saper* lob,(. 24. BSehatha Hookefor cuery humor.
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