142 That ye may be able tofiand .01440)4 :14401440-44tr. CHAP. IX. t An Account is given, how the All-wife God doth out-wit the devil in his tempting of Saints tofin, wherein are laid down the ends Satan propounds, andbowhe isprevented in thew all,with thegra cioui iftie that Godputs to thefe his temptations. nut how cloth Goddefeat Satan, and out-Wit his rriles in tempting his Saints? This God doth by accomplithing his own gracious ends for the good and comfort of his people out of thofe temptations from which Satandefignes their mine, this is the nobleft kinde of Conquefl, to beat back the devils weapon to the wounding of his own head, yea, to cut it off with the devils own (word ; thus God Pets the devil to catch the devil, and layes, as it were, his own counfels under Satans wings., and makes himhatch them. Thus the Patriarchs help's to fulfil ?ofephs dream, while they are thinking to rid their hands of him. To inflance in a fewparti- culars. SECT. I. Is Firft, Satanby his temptations aimes at the defiling of the Chriflians confcience,and disfiguring that beautiful face of Gods image, which is engraven with holineffe in the Chriflians bo- fome, he is an unclean fpirit himfelf, and would have them fuck, that he might glory in their filmic; but God out-wits him, for heturneth the temptationsofSatan to fin, to the purging them from finne ; they are the black leap with whichGod vvalbeth his Saints white. Firft,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=