I will further suppose that which may be supposed, and that which is suitable to our Purpose. Suppose therefore that a Father that has a Child whom he loveth, but the Child has not half that Wit that some of the Family hath; (and I am sure that we have ⟨p. 56⟩less Wit than Angels) and suppose also that some bad minded Neighbour, by tampering with, tempting of, and by unwearied Solicitations should prevail with this Child to steal something out of his Father's House, or Grounds, and give it unto him: And this he doth on purpose to set the Father against the Child. And suppose again that it comes to the Fathers Knowledge that the Child through the Allurements of such an one has done so and so against his Father; Will he therefore disinherit this Child? Yea suppose again that he that did tempt this Child to steal should be the first that should come to accuse this Child to its Father, for so doing, would the Father take Notice of the Accusation of such an one: No verily; we, that are evil, can do better than so. How then should we think, That the God of Heaven should do such a thing, since also we have a Brother that is wise, and that will, and can plead the very Malice of our Enemy, that doth to us all these things, against him, for our Advantage? I say, this is the Sum of this fifth Plea of Christ our Advocate, against Satan. O Satan, says he, Thou art an Enemy to my People, thou pleadest not out of Love to Righteousness, nor to reform, But to destroy my Beloved, and Inheritance. The Charge wherewith thou chargest my People, ⟨p. 57⟩is thine own, Joh. 8.44. not only as to a matter of Charge; but the things that thou accusest them of, are thine; Thine, in the Nature of them: Also thou hast tempted, allured, flattered and daily laboured with them, to do that, for which, now, thou so willingly wouldest have them destroyed. Yea, all this hast thou done of Envy to my Father, and to Godliness; of Hatred to me and my People, and that thou mightest destroy others besides, 1 Chron. 21.1. And now what can this Accuser say? Can he excuse himself? Can he contradict our Advocate? He cannot. He knows that he is a Satan, an Enemy, and, as an Adversary, has he sown his Tares among the Wheat, that it might be rooted up: But he shall not have his End, his Malice has prevented him, and so has the Care and Grace of our Advocate:
I will further suppose that which may be supposed, and that which is suitable to our Purpose. Suppose therefore that a Father that has a Child whom he loveth, but the Child has not half that Wit that some of the Family hath; (and I am sure that we have ⟨p. 56⟩less Wit than Angels) and suppose also that some bad minded Neighbour, by tampering with, tempting of, and by unwearied Sollicitations should prevail with this Child to steal something out of his Father's House, or Grounds, and give it unto him: And this he doth on purpose to set the Father against the Child. And suppose again that it comes to the Fathers Knowledge that the Child through the Allurements of such an one has done so and so against his Father; Will he therefore disinherit this Child? Yea suppose again that he that did tempt this Child to steal should be the first that should come to accuse this Child to its Father, for so doing, would the Father take Notice of the Accusation of such an one: No verily; we, that are evil, can do better than so. How then should we think, That the God of Heaven should do such a thing, since also we have a Brother that is wise, and that will, and can plead the very Malice of our Enemy, that doth to us all these things, against him, for our Advantage? I say, this is the Sum of this fifth Plea of Christ our Advocate, against Satan. O Satan, says he, Thou art an Enemy to my People, thou pleadest not out of Love to Righteousness, nor to reform, But to destroy my Beloved, and Inheritance. The Charge wherewith thou chargest my People, ⟨p. 57⟩is thine own, Joh. 8.44. not only as to a matter of Charge; but the things that thou accusest them of, are thine; Thine, in the Nature of them: Also thou hast tempted, allured, flattered and daily laboured with them, to do that, for which, now, thou so willingly wouldest have them destroyed. Yea, all this hast thou done of Envy to my Father, and to Godliness; of Hatred to me and my People, and that thou mightest destroy others besides, 1 Chron. 21.1. And now what can this Accuser say? Can he excuse himself? Can he contradict our Advocate? He cannot. He knows that he is a Satan, an Enemy, and, as an Adversary, has he sown his Tares among the Wheat, that it might be rooted up: But he shall not have his End, his Malice has prevented him, and so has the Care and Grace of our Advocate:
