12 thatye may be able tofiand venture their necks in fome defperate leap. He is lure to come facer (ifnot bower) home, that is willing to go a little about to keep God company. The Hiftorians obfervation is worth the Chriftians remembrance : Confilia callida primafpecielem,traliatu tiara, eventu crlftia, Livius. Crafty counfels promife faire at firfl, but prove more.difEcult in the managing, and in theenddo pay the undertaker home with defperate forrow. Is Satan fo fubtile ? 0 then think not to be too, cunning for the devil, he'll be too hard for theeat laft, fin not with thoughts ofanafter, repentance; it is poffible thou meanea this at prefent: but doe ft thou thinkwhofits down to play with this cheater, to draw out thy Itotkwhen thou pleafeft ? alas, poor wretch, he has a thoufand devices tocarry thee on, and engage theedeep- er, till he bath not left thee any tenderneffe in thy cOnfcience. As fome have been ferved at play, intending only toventure a fhilling or two, yet have by the fecret witchery in gaming, play- ed thevery cloathes off their back before they had done ; 0 how many have thus finned away all their principles, yea, Pro- feffion it fell, that they have not fo much as this cloak left, but walk naked to their shame? Like children, who got into a boat, think to play near the chore, but are unawares by a violent pit carried down to the wide fea. 0 how know you that dallie with. Satan, butsthat at lafl you may (who begin modeflly) be carried down to the broad feaofprophaneneffe ? Some men are fo fub- tile to over-reach, and fo cruel when they get men into their hands, that a man had better beghis bread then borrowof them. Such a Merchant is Satan cunning to infinuate, and get the :creature into his books, and when he bath him on the hip, no more mercy tobe had at his hand, then the Lambe may expert from the ravenous Wolfe. _vie 3, Study the wiles, and acquaint thy fell with Satans policy. Pam! takes it for granted, that every Saint doth in forne meafure underfland them ; Weare not ignorant of kis devices, 2Cor z.i I. He is but an ill fencer that knows and obferves nothing of his e- ,mies play; many particular ftratagems I have laid down already, which may help a little, and for thy diredion in this flu- dy of, and enquiry into Satans wiles, take this threefold counfel. ;. firilf, take Goel into thy counfel. Heaven over-looks hell, God
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