140 Thatye may be able toRand The fecond reafon is taken from the wifdom of God, who as he undertakes the ordering of the Chriflians way to heaven, "Pf.- 37. 24. fo efpecially this butineffe ofSatans temptations. We finde Chriff was not led of the evil fpirit into the wilderneffe to be tempted, but of the Holy spirit, Mat. 4. 1. Satan tempts not when he will, but when God pleafeth : and the fame Holy Spirit which led Chrifl into the field, brought him off with viaory. And thereforewe finde himmarching in the Tower of the Spirit (after he had repulfed Satan) into Galilee, Lake 4.14. When Satan tempts a Saint, he is but Gods meffenger, z Cole 12. 7. There wiligiven tome a thorne in thefielh, the A-lefenger of Satan to buffet me. So our Tranflation, But rather as Beta, who will have it in calm reCto, the Meffenger Satan, implying that he was fent of God to Paul ; And indeed the errand he came was too good and gracious to be his own,Lefi ifhotild be exalted above meafure ; Thedevil never meant to do Paul fuck a good office : bet God fends him co Paul, as David tent; Vriah with letters to 7,14b, neither knew the contents of their meffage. The devil and his inftruments both are Gods inftruments, therefore 17,13. the wicked are called his(word, his axe : now let God alone to '5' wield the one and handle the other. He is but a bungler that hurts and hackies his own legs with his own axe ; which God lhould do, ifhis children shouldbe the wort for Satans tempta- tions. Let the devil choole his way, God is for him at every weapon. if he'll try it by force of arrhes, and affau'lt the Saints NrCeddrion , the Lord of 1-17ofies, lic will oppofe him. if by policy and ftibtilty,he is ready there alio. The devil and 1 his whole counfel are but looks to God. Nay, their wifdame) .same e, Cunning and Art commend every thing but finale. The more artificial the watch, thepieture, &e. the better; but :he more wit and Art in fin,the worfe, becatife it is employeda- oainfi an pere.wifeGod, that cannot be out-witted, and therefore will in the end but pay the workmen in greeter damnation. Mo. ofgod is tt,ifer then men, yea, then the wifilome ofmen, and devils, that is, the rneaaes and inftruments whichGod op- poi-2th Satan withal. What weaker then a Sermon ? who fillier then the Saints ift the account of the, wife world ? yet God is wifer iaaweak Sermon, then Satan is in his deep plots (wherein, the, State-heads,ofa whole Conclave of profound Cardinals are kuocetk
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