Satan's compassing the earth. By Henry SmithSatans compassing the earth. By Henrie Smith

Who would have thought that Solomon when he prayed in the temple, and was termed by God the wisest man in the world, would have taken mo concubines unto him than any heathen in the world? How are the mighty overthrown, saith David? 2. Sam. 1. Like Peter which said he would never forsake Christ: and forsook him first. The strange men are fallen. Even Solomon himself, and David, and Noah, and Lot, and Sampson, & Peter, the light of the world, fell like the stars of heaven: these tall soldiers, strong oaks, fair pillars lie in the dust, whose tops glittered in the air, that they which think they stand, may take heed least they fall. Can I look upon these ruins without ⟨p. 12⟩compassion, or remember them without fear, unless I be a reprobate, & my heart of flint? Who am I that I should stand like a shrub, when these Cedars are blown down to the ground, and showed themselves but men, the best man is but a man, the worst are worse then beasts, no man is untainted but Christ, they which had greater gifts then we, they which had deeper roots then we, they which had stronger hearts then we, they which had more props then we, are fallen like a bird which is weary of her flight, & turned back like the wind in the twinkling of an eye. 2. Kin. 8.13. Who would have mocked him, that should have said sometime as Elisha said to Hazael, what wickedness he should do in time to come, that he should slay and trample men, women and children, Hazael blushed to hear thus of him, and said, Am I a dog that I should do this, as if he would never do it while he were a man, but count him a dog when he comes to that: so they which are changed ⟨p. 13⟩like Hazael blush to hear thus of him, and would have scorned sometime at him which should once have said when they were zealous and studious preachers, & persecuted for their preaching, that the time would come when they should be loiterers, time-servers, lovers of the world, & greedy wolves, devourers of their flocks, and persecutors, they would have said, Am I a dog? Am I a beast? Am I a reprobate, that I should do this? they would never believe this till it came to pass, and being fallen, they say they sinned like Hazael, which blushed before he sinned and was impudent after.