againfi the wiles of the devil. 105 confpiracy. Let 3eroboam let up idolatry, and Ifrael is loon in a fnare ; it's faid the people willingly Walked after hu Command- ment, Hof. 5. it. Secondly, ihould the fin flay at Court, and the infetlion gono further, yet the fin of fuch a one, (though a good man) may colt awhole Kingdom cleat j Chron. 21. t. Satan floodup againfi Ifrael, andprovoked David to number the peo- ple. He owed Ifrael a fpite, and he payes them home in their Kings fin, which drop't in a fearful plague upon their heads. Se- .condly, fuch as are in place and office in the Church. No fuch way to infe& the whole town, as to poifon the Ciftern at which they draw their water ; who thall perfwade e.lhab that he may go toRamoth-Gilead and fall ? Satan can tell, I will be a lying fpiris in the mouth of his Prophets, 2 Kings 22. 21. How than the profanebe hardened in their fins ? 'let the Preacher fowe pillows under their elbowes, ' and cry peace, peace and it's done. How ,may the.worfhip of God come to be negleeted ? let Hophni and PLineal be but fcandalous in their lives, and many both good and had will abhor thefacrifice of the Lord. Secondly, he employeth perfons of parts and policy, if any a. bath more pregnancyof wit, and depth of reafonthen other, he is theman Satan looks upon for his fervicc:and fo far he prevails thatvery few of this rank are found among Chrifts difciples, Not many wife. Indeed, God will not have his Kingdome, ei- ther in theheart or lathe world, maintained by carnal policy, 'cis a Gofpel-command that we walk in godly fimplicity, fine pli- cis; though theSerpent can shrink up into his folds, and appear what he is not, yet it doth not become the Saints to juggle or Muffle with God or men; and truly when any of them have madeufe of theSerpentslubtilty,it -bath not followed their hand; 3aeob got the bleffing by a wile, but he might have had it cheap- er withplaindealing. t/lbrahano and Sarah both diffemble to A- ; bimelech, God difcovers their fin, and reproves them for it by the mouth of an Heathen. Ala out of State-policy joynes league with Syria, yea, pawns the veffels of the Sanduary, and all for help, and what comes ofall this ? Herein thou haft done foolifh!y, faith God, from henceforth thou fh.ilt have wars. Sinful policy fhall not long thrive in the Saints hands well, but Satan will not out of his way, he enquires for the fubtileft-pated men, ai34. laam, Acbitophd, Haman, S'altballat, men admired for their court-
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