And lastly, to add one thing more, it is such a War as 1is not without stratagems and wiles. That as it is in W•r, we do not only go to it by main •orce, but we use many devices, and advantages, and wiles, and policies to prevail against the enemy. So in this War▪ you shall see here, this Law in the members, if you observe the proceedings of it, you shall find how it strengthens its faction in us by policies: so that when any good motion cometh, it hath most voices to cry it down: therefore it works in us an ill opinion of the ways o• God, o• the strictness and purity of Religion, it makes us think well of luke-warmness. And besides, it possesseth the ••queports, the senses, & admitteth no objects but those that agree with it. And again, it draws us from our strong holds, from prayer, from hearing the Wo••, from holy performances: as Joshua did the men of A••, when he drew them from the City, such a stratagem it useth, and that makes it dangerous to us; when we are drawn from our strong holds, as the Conies from their boroughs, then it soon cousins us, and easily takes us. Again, it takes away supply from the inward man; as you see the Philistines ⟨p. 358⟩in the time of hostility between them and the Israelites, they would not suffer a Smith to be in Israel: so this Law takes away the supply that should be given to the regenerate part. Again, it affrights us with false fears, as you know it was the stratagem that Gideon used in his War, he came upon the Host of the Midianites in such a manner, that he put them all in a fear, he deceived them with a false fear. So this Law of our members, affrights us with false fears, persuades us, that such and such lusts can never be overcome; it tells us, that perfect walking with God will never stand with the times, we shall never come to preferment, nor rise in the world, if we observe the purity of Religion, and the like.
And lastly, to add one thing more, it is such a War as 1is not without stratagems and wiles. That as it is in W•r, we do not onely go to it by main •orce, but we use many devices, and advantages, and wiles, and policies to prevail against the enemy. So in this War▪ you shall see here, this Law in the members, if you observe the proceedings of it, you shall find how it strengthens its faction in us by policies: so that when any good motion cometh, it hath most voices to cry it down: therefore it works in us an ill opinion of the wayes o• God, o• the strictness and purity of Religion, it makes us think well of luke-warmness. And besides, it possesseth the ••queports, the sences, & admitteth no objects but those that agreewith it. And again, it draws us from ourstrong holds, from prayer, from hearing the Wo••, from holy performances: as Ioshua did the men of A••, when he drew them from the City, such a stratagem it useth, and that makes it dangerous to us; when we are drawn from our strong holds, as the Conies from their borroughs, then it soon cos•ns us, and easily takes us. Again, it takes away supply from the inward man; as you see the Philistines ⟨p. 358⟩in the time of hostility between them and the Israelites, they would not suffer a Smith to be in Israel: so this Law takes away the supply that should be given to the regenerate part. Again, it affrights us with false fears, as you know it was the stratagem that Gideon used in his War, he came upon the Host of the Medianites in such a manner, that he put them all in a fear, he deceived them with a false fear. So this Law of our members, affrights us with false fears, perswades us, that such and such lusts can never be overcome; it tells us, that perfect walking with God will never stand with the times, we shall never come to preferment, nor rise in the world, if we observe the purity of Religion, and the like.
- 14. It useth stratagems.
