arming full
of those _Wicked Spirits_, whose Temptations trouble us; they are so
many, that it seems no less than a _Legion_, or more than twelve
thousands may be spared, for the Vexation of one miserable man. But
because those Apostate Angels, are all _United_, under one Infernal
Monarch, in the Designs of Mischief, 'tis in the Singular Number, that
they are spoken of. Now, the _Devil_, whose Malice and Envy, prompts him
to do what he can, that we may be as unhappy as himself, do's ordinarily
use more _Fraud_, than _Force_, in his assaulting of us; he that
assail'd our First Parents, in a _Serpent_, will still _Act Like a
Serpent_, rather than a _Lion_, in prosecuting of his wicked purposes
upon us, and for us to guard against the _Wiles_ of the _Wicked One_, is
one of the greatest cares, with which our God ha's charged us.

We are all of us liable to various _Temptations_ every day, whereby if
we are carried aside from the strait _Paths of Righteousness_, we get
all sorts of wounds unto our selves. Of _Temptations_, I may say, as the
Wise Man said, of _Mortality_; _there is no discharge from that war._ The
_Devils_ fell hard upon both _Adams_, nor may any among the Children of
both, imagine to be excused. The _Son_ of God Himself, had this _Dog_ of
Hell, barking at Him; and much more may the Children of _Men_, look to
be thus Visited; indeed, there is hardly any _Temptation_, but what is,
_Common to Man_. When I was considering, how to spend one Hour in
Raising a most Effectual and Profitable _Breast-work_, against the
inroads of this Enemy, I perceived it would be done, by a short answer
to this.

CASE.

_What are those Usual +Methods+ of +Temptation+, with which the Powers
of Darkness do assault the Children of Men?_

The _Corinthians_, having upon the Apostles Direction, Excommunicated
one of their Society, who had married his Mother-in-law, & this, as it
is thought, while his own Father was Living too; the Apostle encourages
them to Re-admit that man, upon his very deep and sharp _Repentance_. He
gives divers Reasons of his propounding this unto them; whereof one is,
_Lest Satan should get advantage of them_; for, had the man miscarried,
under any Rigour of the Sentence continued upon him, after his
_Repentance_, 'tis well if the Church itself had not quickly fallen to
pieces thereupon; besure, the Success of the Gospel had been more than a
little Incommoded. The Apostle upon this Occasion, intimates,