againfi the wiles of thedevil. 39 who were the hardeft put to it ofany upon record, and left force fhould attribute their victory to the ftrength of their inherent orare above other of their weaker brethren, you have the glo- ry of their via.ories appropriated to God, in whom the weak are as ftrong as the ftrongeff. We (hall give a double Reafon of this truth, why the Chriftian who feemes to be fo over-match3r, is yet fo unconquerable. Firft, the curie that lies upon Satan and his rade. Gods curie re 11. Malts whereevcr it comes. The Canaanite; with their neighbour.: Nations were bread for Ifrael, though people famous for warre ; and why ? They were curled Nations, The Egyptian; a poli- tick people ; Let us deal wifely, (fay they) yet being curled of God ; this lay like a thorne at their heart, and was at !aft their mine ; yea, let the ifraelites themfelves, (who carry the badge of Gods Covenant on their flefh) by their fins once become the people of Gods curie, and they are trampled like dirt under the Affyrians feet. This made Babik beg fo hard for a curie upon ILI. Io, 5. lfrael. Now there is an irrevokeable curfe cleaves to Satan from Gen. 3.14,1s. And the Lord raid to the Serpent,Tecaufe thou hall done thisahou-art curled, mac. which place, though partly meant of the literal ferpent, yet chiefly ofthe devil and the wick- ed, ( his fpiritual ferpentine brood) as appeares by the enmity pronounced againft the Serpents feed and the womans, which dearly holds forth the feud betweenChrift with his iced, againfl the devil and his. Now there are two things in that curie which may comfort the Saints. Firfl, thecurie profirates Satan under their feet: 'Upon thy belly (halt thougo, which is no more then is elfewhere promifed, that God Willfubdue Satan under our feet. Now this proftrate condition of Satan allures believers, that the devil shall never lift his head (that is, his wily policy) higher then the Saints heele. He may make thee limp, but not bereave thee of thy life, and this bruife which he gives thee lila!! be rewarded with the breang of his otian head, that is, the utter ruineof him and his caufe. Secondly, his food is here limited and appointed. Saran fhall not devoure whom he will. The dull is his food, which Teems to reftrainhis power to the wicked, who are of the earth earthy, meere duff ; but for thole who are of a heavenly extraction, their graces are referved for Chrifis food, Cant. 7, 13. and their fouls furely are not a morfel for the devilitooth. T a The
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